This bill amends existing Washington state law to enhance the authority of court of appeals bailiffs in conducting threat assessments for judicial officers and staff members. A new section is added to chapter 2.06 RCW, which grants bailiffs the ability to perform these assessments and receive criminal history record information, including nonconviction data, specifically for investigating threats against court personnel. The bill mandates that any founded threats must be reported to local law enforcement, which can then communicate the outcomes back to the bailiffs.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 10.97.050 to clarify the dissemination of criminal history record information, particularly regarding nonconviction data. It specifies that such data can be shared with bailiffs of the court of appeals for the purpose of conducting investigations related to threats, as outlined in the newly added section. This ensures that bailiffs have the necessary information to effectively assess and respond to potential threats while maintaining restrictions on the use of this sensitive data for unauthorized purposes.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 10.97.050