wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1028 > Session Law
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The sexual assault forensic examination best practices advisory group is established within the office of the attorney general for the purpose of reviewing best practice models for managing all aspects of sexual assault investigations and for reducing the number of untested sexual assault kits in Washington state.
The caucus leaders from the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.
The caucus leaders from the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.
The attorney general, in consultation with the legislative members of the advisory group, shall appoint:
(A) One member representing each of the following:
(I) The Washington state patrol;
(II) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;
(III) The Washington association of prosecuting attorneys;
(IV) The Washington defender association or the Washington association of criminal defense lawyers;
(V) The Washington association of cities;
(VI) The Washington association of county officials;
(VII) The Washington coalition of sexual assault programs;
(VIII) The office of crime victims advocacy;
(IX) The Washington state hospital association;
(X) The office of the attorney general; and
(XI) The criminal justice training commission;
(B) Two members representing survivors of sexual assault;
(C) One member who is a sexual assault nurse examiner;
(D) Two members who are law enforcement officers, one from a rural area and one from an urban area of the state;
(E) One member who is a prosecuting attorney serving in a county in a rural area of the state; and
(F) Two members who are community-based advocates, one from a rural area and one from an urban area of the state.
b. When appointing members under (a)(iii)(D) of this subsection, the office of the attorney general shall solicit recommendations from statewide labor organizations representing law enforcement officers.
The duties of the advisory group include, but are not limited to:
Researching the best practice models both in state and from other states for collaborative responses to victims of sexual assault from the point the sexual assault kit is collected to the conclusion of the investigation and prosecution of a case, and providing recommendations regarding any existing gaps in Washington and resources that may be necessary to address those gaps;
Researching and making recommendations on opportunities to increase access to, and availability of, critical sexual assault nurse examiner services;
Monitoring the testing of the backlog of sexual assault kits and the supply chain and distribution of sexual assault kits;
Monitoring implementation of state and federal legislative changes;
Collaborating with the legislature, state agencies, medical facilities, and local governments to implement reforms pursuant to federal grant requirements; and
Making recommendations for institutional reforms necessary to prevent sexual assault and improve the experiences of sexual assault survivors in the criminal justice system.
The office of the attorney general shall administer and provide staff support to the advisory group.
Legislative members of the advisory group must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
The advisory group must meet no less than twice annually.
The advisory group shall report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature and the governor by December 15th of each year.
This section expires July 1, 2026.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall administer a grant program for establishing a statewide resource prosecutor for sexual assault cases.
The grant recipient must be a statewide organization or association representing prosecuting attorneys. The grant recipient shall hire a resource prosecutor for the following purposes:
To provide technical assistance and research to prosecutors for prosecuting sexual assault cases;
To provide additional training and resources to prosecutors to support a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach to prosecuting sexual assault cases;
To meet regularly with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to explain legal issues and prosecutorial approaches to sexual assault cases and provide and receive feedback to improve case outcomes;
To consult with the commission, the office of the attorney general, and the sexual assault forensic examination best practices advisory group under section 1 of this act with respect to developing and implementing best practices for prosecuting sexual assault cases across the state; and
To comply with other requirements established by the commission under this section.
The commission may, in consultation with the sexual assault forensic examination best practices advisory group under section 1 of this act, establish additional appropriate conditions for any grant awarded under this section. The commission may adopt necessary policies and procedures to implement and administer the grant program, including monitoring the use of grant funds and compliance with the grant requirements.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall provide ongoing specialized, intensive, and integrative training for persons responsible for investigating sexual assault and other gender-based violence involving adult victims, and the highest ranking supervisors and commanders overseeing sexual assault and other gender-based violence investigations. The training must be based on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to responding to sexual assault. Among other subjects, the training must include content on the neurobiology of trauma and trauma-informed interviewing, counseling, and investigative techniques.
The training must: Be based on research-based practices and standards; offer participants an opportunity to practice interview skills and receive feedback from instructors; minimize the trauma of all persons who are interviewed during abuse investigations; provide methods of reducing the number of investigative interviews necessary whenever possible; assure, to the extent possible, that investigative interviews are thorough, objective, and complete; recognize needs of special populations; recognize the nature and consequences of victimization; require investigative interviews to be conducted in a manner most likely to permit the interviewed persons the maximum emotional comfort under the circumstances; address record retention and retrieval; address documentation of investigative interviews; and educate investigators on the best practices for notifying victims of the results of forensic analysis of sexual assault kits and other significant events in the investigative process, including for active investigations and cold cases.
In developing the training, the commission shall seek advice from the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington coalition of sexual assault programs, and experts on sexual assault, gender-based violence, and the neurobiology of trauma. The commission shall consult with the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys in an effort to design training containing consistent elements for all professionals engaged in interviewing and interacting with sexual assault victims in the criminal justice system.
Officers assigned to regularly investigate sexual assault and other gender-based violence involving adult victims and the highest ranking supervisors and commanders overseeing those investigations shall complete the training within one year of being assigned .
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall develop peace officer training on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to interacting with victims and responding to calls involving gender-based violence. The curriculum must: Be designed for deployment and use within individual law enforcement agencies; include features allowing for it to be used in different environments, which may include multimedia or video components; and allow for law enforcement agencies to host it in small segments at different times over several days or weeks, including roll calls. The training must include components on available resources for victims including, but not limited to, material on and references to community-based victim advocates.
In developing the training, the commission shall seek advice from the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, the Washington coalition of sexual assault programs, and experts on sexual assault, gender-based violence, and the neurobiology of trauma.
All peace officers shall complete the training under this section at least once every three years.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall conduct an annual case review program. The program must review case files from law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys selected by the commission in order to identify changes to training and investigatory practices necessary to optimize outcomes in sexual assault investigations and prosecutions involving adult victims. The program must include:
An evaluation of whether current training and practices foster a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach to victim interviews and that identifies best practices and current gaps in training and assesses the integration of the community resiliency model;
A comparison of cases involving investigators and interviewers who have participated in training to cases involving investigators and interviewers who have not participated in training;
A comparison of cases involving prosecutors who have participated in the training described in section 6 of this act to cases involving prosecutors who have not participated in such training;
Randomly selected cases for a systematic review to assess whether current practices conform to national best practices for a multidisciplinary approach to investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases and interacting with survivors; and
An analysis of the impact that race and ethnicity have on sexual assault case outcomes.
The case review program may review and access files, including all reports and recordings, pertaining to closed cases involving allegations of adult sexual assault only. Any law enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney selected for the program by the commission shall make requested case files and other documents available to the commission, provided that the case files are not linked to ongoing, open investigations and that redactions may be made where appropriate and necessary. Agencies and prosecuting attorneys shall include available information on the race and ethnicity of all sexual assault victims in the relevant case files provided to the commission. Case files and other documents must be made available to the commission according to appropriate deadlines established by the commission in consultation with the agency or prosecuting attorney.
If a law enforcement agency has not participated in the training under RCW 43.101.272 or 43.101.276 within the previous 24 months, the commission may prioritize the agency for selection to participate in the program under this section.
In designing and conducting the program, the commission shall consult and collaborate with experts in trauma-informed and victim-centered training, experts in sexual assault investigations and prosecutions, victim advocates, and other stakeholders identified by the commission. The commission may form a multidisciplinary working group for the purpose of carrying out the requirements of this section.
The commission shall submit a report with a summary of its work to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1st of each year.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the commission shall, in partnership with the special resource prosecutor under section 2 of this act, develop and conduct specialized, intensive, and integrative training for persons responsible for prosecuting sexual assault cases involving adult victims.
The training must:
Use a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to prosecuting sexual assaults including, but not limited to, the following goals: Recognizing the nature and consequences of victimization; prioritizing the safety and well-being of victims; and recognizing the needs of special populations;
Include content on the neurobiology of trauma and trauma-informed interviewing, counseling, investigative, and prosecution techniques;
Offer participants an opportunity to practice interview and trial skills, including receiving feedback from instructors;
Share best practices for communicating with victims throughout the criminal justice process;
Include additional content relevant to and informed by best practices for improving outcomes in sexual assault prosecutions, as deemed appropriate by the commission;
Take into account the training under RCW 43.101.272 in order to provide consistent and complimentary training for investigators and prosecutors;
Be designed to qualify for some continuing legal education credits through the Washington state bar association; and
Be offered at least once per calendar year and be deployed in different locations across the state, or through some other broadly accessible means, in order to improve access to the training for prosecutors serving in small offices or rural areas.
A biological sample must be collected for purposes of DNA identification analysis from:
Every adult or juvenile individual convicted of a felony, or adjudicated of an offense which if committed by an adult would be a felony, or any of the following crimes (or equivalent juvenile offenses):
Assault in the fourth degree where domestic violence as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 was pleaded and proven (RCW 9A.36.041, 9.94A.030);
Assault in the fourth degree with sexual motivation (RCW 9A.36.041, 9.94A.835);
Communication with a minor for immoral purposes (RCW 9.68A.090);
Custodial sexual misconduct in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.170);
Failure to register (chapter 9A.44 RCW);
Harassment (RCW 9A.46.020);
Patronizing a prostitute (RCW 9A.88.110);
Sexual misconduct with a minor in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.096);
ix. Stalking (RCW 9A.46.110);
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A municipal jurisdiction may also submit any biological sample to the laboratory services bureau of the Washington state patrol for purposes of DNA identification analysis when:
The sample was collected from a defendant upon conviction for a municipal offense where the underlying ordinance does not adopt the relevant state statute by reference but the offense is otherwise equivalent to an offense in subsection (1)(a) of this section;
The equivalent offense in subsection (1)(a) of this section was an offense for which collection of a biological sample was required under this section at the time of the conviction; and
The sample was collected on or after June 12, 2008, and before January 1, 2020.
When submitting a biological sample under this subsection, the municipal jurisdiction must include a signed affidavit from the municipal prosecuting authority of the jurisdiction in which the conviction occurred specifying the state crime to which the municipal offense is equivalent.
Law enforcement may submit to the forensic laboratory services bureau of the Washington state patrol, for purposes of DNA identification analysis, any lawfully obtained biological sample within its control from a deceased offender who was previously convicted of an offense under subsection (1)(a) of this section, regardless of the date of conviction.
If the Washington state patrol crime laboratory already has a DNA sample from an individual for a qualifying offense, a subsequent submission is not required to be submitted.
Biological samples shall be collected in the following manner:
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i.(A) For persons convicted of any offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section or adjudicated guilty of an equivalent juvenile offense, who do not serve a term of confinement in a department of corrections facility or a department of children, youth, and families facility, and are serving a term of confinement in a city or county jail facility, the city or county jail facility shall be responsible for obtaining the biological samples prior to the person's release from confinement.
(B) Each city and county jail facility must adopt and implement a policy that collects biological samples from persons convicted of an offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section as soon as practicable during the person's term of confinement.
ii. If the biological sample is not collected prior to the person's release from confinement, the responsible city or county jail facility shall notify the sentencing court within three business days of the person's release that it has released the person without collecting the person's biological sample, and provide the reason for releasing the person without collecting a biological sample. Within 10 days of receiving notice of the person's release, the sentencing court shall schedule a compliance hearing. The jail shall serve or cause to be served notice to the person of the compliance hearing and shall file proof of service with the sentencing court. A representative of the jail shall attend the compliance hearing and obtain the person's biological sample at the hearing. The court may, in its discretion, require the jail to pay attorneys' fees and court costs associated with scheduling and attending the compliance hearing.
b. The local police department or sheriff's office shall be responsible for obtaining the biological samples for:
i. Persons convicted of any offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section or adjudicated guilty of an equivalent juvenile offense, who do not serve a term of confinement in a department of corrections facility, department of children, youth, and families facility, or a city or county jail facility; and
ii. Persons who are required to register under RCW 9A.44.130.
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i. For persons convicted of any offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section or adjudicated guilty of an equivalent juvenile offense, who are serving or who are to serve a term of confinement in a department of corrections facility or a department of children, youth, and families facility, the facility holding the person shall be responsible for obtaining the biological samples as part of the intake process. If the facility did not collect the biological sample during the intake process, then the facility shall collect the biological sample as soon as is practicable prior to the person's release from confinement. For those persons incarcerated before June 12, 2008, who have not yet had a biological sample collected, priority shall be given to those persons who will be released the soonest.
ii. If the biological sample is not collected prior to the person's release from confinement, the responsible department of corrections facility or department of children, youth, and families facility shall notify the sentencing court within three business days of the person's release that it has released the person without collecting the person's biological sample. Within 10 days of receiving notice of the person's release, the sentencing court shall schedule a compliance hearing. The responsible department of corrections facility or department of children, youth, and families facility shall serve or cause to be served notice to the person of the compliance hearing and shall file proof of service with the sentencing court. A representative of the responsible department of corrections facility or department of children, youth, and families facility shall attend the compliance hearing and obtain the person's biological sample at the hearing. The court may, in its discretion, require the responsible department of corrections facility or department of children, youth, and families facility to pay attorneys' fees and court costs associated with scheduling and attending the compliance hearing.
d. For persons convicted of any offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section or adjudicated guilty of an equivalent juvenile offense, who will not serve a term of confinement, the court shall: Order the person to be administratively booked at a city or county jail facility for the sole purpose of providing a biological sample; or if the local police department or sheriff's office has a protocol for collecting the biological sample in the courtroom, order the person to immediately provide the biological sample to the local police department or sheriff's office before leaving the presence of the court. The court must further inform the person that refusal to provide a biological sample is a gross misdemeanor under this section.
e. For persons convicted of any offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section or adjudicated guilty of an equivalent juvenile offense, the court shall create and implement a biological sample collection protocol. The court shall order the biological samples at the time of sentencing. The court shall inform the person that refusal to provide a biological sample is a gross misdemeanor under this section. If the biological sample is not collected at the time of sentencing, then the biological sample shall be collected pursuant to (a) through (d) of this subsection (5), and the court shall schedule a compliance hearing within 10 days of the sentencing to ensure that the biological sample has been collected.
Any biological sample taken pursuant to RCW 43.43.752 through 43.43.758 may be retained by the forensic laboratory services bureau, and shall be used solely for the purpose of providing DNA or other tests for identification analysis and prosecution of a criminal offense or for the identification of human remains or missing persons. Nothing in this section prohibits the submission of results derived from the biological samples to the federal bureau of investigation combined DNA index system.
The forensic laboratory services bureau of the Washington state patrol is responsible for testing performed on all biological samples that are collected under this section, to the extent allowed by funding available for this purpose. Known duplicate samples may be excluded from testing unless testing is deemed necessary or advisable by the director.
This section applies to:
All adults and juveniles to whom this section applied prior to June 12, 2008;
All adults and juveniles to whom this section did not apply prior to June 12, 2008, who:
Are convicted on or after June 12, 2008, of an offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section on the date of conviction; or
Were convicted prior to June 12, 2008, of an offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section and are still incarcerated on or after June 12, 2008;
All adults and juveniles who are required to register under RCW 9A.44.130 on or after June 12, 2008, whether convicted before, on, or after June 12, 2008; and
All samples submitted under subsections (2) and (3) of this section.
This section creates no rights in a third person. No cause of action may be brought based upon the noncollection or nonanalysis or the delayed collection or analysis of a biological sample authorized to be taken under RCW 43.43.752 through 43.43.758.
The detention, arrest, or conviction of a person based upon a database match or database information is not invalidated if it is determined that the sample was obtained or placed in the database by mistake, or if the conviction or juvenile adjudication that resulted in the collection of the biological sample was subsequently vacated or otherwise altered in any future proceeding including but not limited to posttrial or postfact-finding motions, appeals, or collateral attacks. No cause of action may be brought against the state based upon the analysis of a biological sample authorized to be taken pursuant to a municipal ordinance if the conviction or adjudication that resulted in the collection of the biological sample was subsequently vacated or otherwise altered in any future proceeding including, but not limited to, posttrial or postfact-finding motions, appeals, or collateral attacks.
A person commits the crime of refusal to provide DNA if the person willfully refuses to comply with a legal request for a DNA sample as required under this section. The refusal to provide DNA is a gross misdemeanor.
Prosecutions for criminal offenses shall not be commenced after the periods prescribed in this section.
The following offenses may be prosecuted at any time after their commission:
Murder;
Homicide by abuse;
Arson if a death results;
Vehicular homicide;
Vehicular assault if a death results;
Hit-and-run injury-accident if a death results (RCW 46.52.020(4));
Rape in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.040) if the victim is under the age of sixteen;
Rape in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.050) if the victim is under the age of sixteen;
ix. Rape of a child in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.073);
Rape of a child in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.079);
Sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.093);
Custodial sexual misconduct in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.160);
Child molestation in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.083);
Child molestation in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.086);
Child molestation in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.089); and
Sexual exploitation of a minor (RCW 9.68A.040).
Except as provided in (a) of this subsection, the following offenses may not be prosecuted more than twenty years after its commission:
Rape in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.040);
Rape in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.050); or
Indecent liberties (RCW 9A.44.100).
The following offenses may not be prosecuted more than ten years after its commission:
Any felony committed by a public officer if the commission is in connection with the duties of his or her office or constitutes a breach of his or her public duty or a violation of the oath of office;
Arson if no death results;
Rape in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.060);
Attempted murder; or
Trafficking under RCW 9A.40.100.
A violation of any offense listed in this subsection (1)(d) may be prosecuted up to ten years after its commission or, if committed against a victim under the age of eighteen, up to the victim's thirtieth birthday, whichever is later:
RCW 9.68A.100 (commercial sexual abuse of a minor);
RCW 9.68A.101 (promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor);
RCW 9.68A.102 (promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor); or
RCW 9A.64.020 (incest).
The following offenses may not be prosecuted more than six years after its commission or discovery, whichever occurs later:
Violations of RCW 9A.82.060 or 9A.82.080;
Any felony violation of chapter 9A.83 RCW;
Any felony violation of chapter 9.35 RCW;
Theft in the first or second degree under chapter 9A.56 RCW when accomplished by color or aid of deception;
Theft from a vulnerable adult under RCW 9A.56.400;
Trafficking in stolen property in the first or second degree under chapter 9A.82 RCW in which the stolen property is a motor vehicle or major component part of a motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.80.010; or
Violations of RCW 82.32.290 (2)(a)(iii) or (4).
The following offenses may not be prosecuted more than five years after its commission: Any class C felony under chapter 74.09, 82.36, or 82.38 RCW.
Bigamy may not be prosecuted more than three years after the time specified in RCW 9A.64.010.
A violation of RCW 9A.56.030 may not be prosecuted more than three years after the discovery of the offense when the victim is a tax exempt corporation under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3).
No gross misdemeanor may be prosecuted more than two years after its commission.
No misdemeanor may be prosecuted more than one year after its commission.
The periods of limitation prescribed in subsection (1) of this section do not run during any time when the person charged is not usually and publicly resident within this state.
In any prosecution for a sex offense as defined in RCW 9.94A.030, the periods of limitation prescribed in subsection (1) of this section run from the date of commission or four years from the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by deoxyribonucleic acid testing or by photograph as defined in RCW 9.68A.011, whichever is later.
If, before the end of a period of limitation prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, an indictment has been found or a complaint or an information has been filed, and the indictment, complaint, or information is set aside, then the period of limitation is extended by a period equal to the length of time from the finding or filing to the setting aside.
A disclosure authorization to a health care provider or health care facility authorizing disclosure of information to law enforcement regarding a forensic examination performed for the purposes of gathering evidence for possible prosecution of a criminal offense must be valid until the end of all related criminal proceedings or a later event selected by the provider, facility, patient, or patient's representative, unless the patient or patient's representative requests a different expiration date or event for the disclosure authorization.
In order to convict a person of any crime defined in this chapter it shall not be necessary that the testimony of the alleged victim be corroborated.
Evidence of the victim's past sexual behavior including but not limited to the victim's marital history; divorce history; general reputation for promiscuity, nonchastity, or sexual mores contrary to community standards; or, unless it is related to the alleged offense, social media account, including any text, image, video, or picture, which depict sexual content, sexual history, nudity or partial nudity, intimate sexual activity, communications about sexual activity, communications about sex, sexual fantasies, and other information that appeals to a prurient interest is inadmissible on the issue of credibility and is inadmissible to prove the victim's consent except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, but when the perpetrator and the victim have engaged in sexual intercourse with each other in the past, and when the past behavior is material to the issue of consent, evidence concerning the past behavior between the perpetrator and the victim may be admissible on the issue of consent to the offense.
In any prosecution for the crime of rape, trafficking pursuant to RCW 9A.40.100, or any of the offenses in chapter 9.68A RCW, or for an attempt to commit, or an assault with an intent to commit any such crime evidence of the victim's past sexual behavior including but not limited to the victim's marital behavior; divorce history; general reputation for promiscuity, nonchastity, or sexual mores contrary to community standards; or, unless it is related to the alleged offense, social media account, including any text, image, video, or picture, which depict sexual content, sexual history, nudity or partial nudity, intimate sexual activity, communications about sexual activity, communications about sex, sexual fantasies, and other information that appeals to a prurient interest is not admissible if offered to attack the credibility of the victim and is admissible on the issue of consent, except where prohibited in the underlying criminal offense, only pursuant to the following procedure:
A written pretrial motion shall be made by the defendant to the court and prosecutor stating that the defense has an offer of proof of the relevancy of evidence of the past sexual behavior of the victim proposed to be presented and its relevancy on the issue of the consent of the victim.
The written motion shall be accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits in which the offer of proof shall be stated.
If the court finds that the offer of proof is sufficient, the court shall order a hearing out of the presence of the jury, if any, and the hearing shall be closed except to the necessary witnesses, the defendant, counsel, and those who have a direct interest in the case or in the work of the court.
At the conclusion of the hearing, if the court finds that the evidence proposed to be offered by the defendant regarding the past sexual behavior of the victim is relevant to the issue of the victim's consent; is not inadmissible because its probative value is substantially outweighed by the probability that its admission will create a substantial danger of undue prejudice; and that its exclusion would result in denial of substantial justice to the defendant; the court shall make an order stating what evidence may be introduced by the defendant, which order may include the nature of the questions to be permitted. The defendant may then offer evidence pursuant to the order of the court.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit cross-examination of the victim on the issue of past sexual behavior when the prosecution presents evidence in its case in chief tending to prove the nature of the victim's past sexual behavior, but the court may require a hearing pursuant to subsection (3) of this section concerning such evidence.
There shall be a reasonable effort made to ensure that victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crimes have the following rights, which apply to any adult or juvenile criminal proceeding and any civil commitment proceeding under chapter 71.09 RCW:
With respect to victims of violent or sex crimes, to receive, at the time of reporting the crime to law enforcement officials, a written statement of the rights of crime victims as provided in this chapter. The written statement shall include the name, address, and telephone number of a county or local crime victim/witness program, if such a crime victim/witness program exists in the county;
To be informed by local law enforcement agencies or the prosecuting attorney of the final disposition of the case in which the victim, survivor, or witness is involved;
To be notified by the party who issued the subpoena that a court proceeding to which they have been subpoenaed will not occur as scheduled, in order to save the person an unnecessary trip to court;
To receive protection from harm and threats of harm arising out of cooperation with law enforcement and prosecution efforts, and to be provided with information as to the level of protection available;
To be informed of the procedure to be followed to apply for and receive any witness fees to which they are entitled;
To be provided, whenever practical, a secure waiting area during court proceedings that does not require them to be in close proximity to defendants and families or friends of defendants;
To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement agencies or the superior court when no longer needed as evidence. When feasible, all such property, except weapons, currency, contraband, property subject to evidentiary analysis, and property of which ownership is disputed, shall be photographed and returned to the owner within ten days of being taken;
To be provided with appropriate employer intercession services to ensure that employers of victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crime will cooperate with the criminal justice process or the civil commitment process under chapter 71.09 RCW in order to minimize an employee's loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearance;
With respect to victims of violent and sex crimes, to have a crime victim advocate from a crime victim/witness program, or any other support person of the victim's choosing, present at any prosecutorial or defense interviews with the victim, and at any judicial proceedings related to criminal acts committed against the victim. This subsection applies if practical and if the presence of the crime victim advocate or support person does not cause any unnecessary delay in the investigation or prosecution of the case. The role of the crime victim advocate is to provide emotional support to the crime victim;
With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to be physically present in court during trial, or if subpoenaed to testify, to be scheduled as early as practical in the proceedings in order to be physically present during trial after testifying and not to be excluded solely because they have testified;
With respect to victims and survivors of victims in any felony case , any case involving domestic violence, or any final determination under chapter 71.09 RCW, to be informed by the prosecuting attorney of the date, time, and place of the trial and of the sentencing hearing or disposition hearing upon request by a victim or survivor;
To submit a victim impact statement or report to the court, with the assistance of the prosecuting attorney if requested, which shall be included in all presentence reports and permanently included in the files and records accompanying the offender committed to the custody of a state agency or institution;
With respect to victims and survivors of victims in any felony case or any case involving domestic violence, to present a statement, personally or by representation, at the sentencing hearing; and
With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to entry of an order of restitution by the court in all felony cases, even when the offender is sentenced to confinement, unless extraordinary circumstances exist which make restitution inappropriate in the court's judgment.
If a victim, survivor of a victim, or witness of a crime is denied a right under this section, the person may seek an order directing compliance by the relevant party or parties by filing a petition in the superior court in the county in which the crime occurred and providing notice of the petition to the relevant party or parties. Compliance with the right is the sole available remedy. The court shall expedite consideration of a petition filed under this subsection.
Section 4 of this act takes effect July 1, 2024.
If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2023, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.