The House Appropriations Committee Must Add House Bill 1916 to the Public Hearing List by Monday, February 7th!
FYI: Here is the link to the legislative page for HB 1916, Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1916&Initiative=false&Year=2021
Brief Summary of House Bill 1916
• Requires the Crime Victim Compensation Program to reimburse a state resident for any costs billed to them for a sexual assault forensic examination by an out-of-state facility.
• Expands the current statutory rights afforded to crime victims, survivors, and witnesses to apply to any forensic civil commitment proceeding and any sexually violent predator civil commitment proceeding.
• Requires peace officers to complete training through the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to responding to gender-based violence.\
• Requires the CJTC to develop and conduct specialized training for persons responsible for prosecuting sexual assault cases involving adult victims.
• Creates a grant program for establishing a statewide resource prosecutor for sexual assault cases.
• Requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct research on best practices and develop training for responding to sexual assault and supporting survivors in schools.
HERE IS A SAMPLE EMAIL MESSAGE:
Subject Line: Please Add HB 1916 To The Public Hearing List by Monday, February 7th
Dear Members of the House Appropriations Committee:
I am writing to urge the Committee to add HB 1916, Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system, to the public hearing list by Monday, February 7th.
HB 1916, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall, will further the critical advancement of Washington State’s ongoing legislative campaign to deliver long-delayed justice for all sexual assault survivors. HB 1916 will (1) advance critical reform in the way law enforcement and prosecutors investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases, (2) further advance the Survivors’ Bill of Rights, and (3) advance research on best practices and develop training for responding to sexual assault and supporting survivors in K-12 schools.
Holding a public hearing for HB 1916 will advance a critical justice imperative for all sexual assault survivors. The critical justice and the public safety imperatives demand the continuation of Representative Orwall’s sexual assault survivors legislative campaign by holding a public hearing for HB 1916 by Monday, February 7, 2022.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this critical legislation.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address]
[Phone number and email]
SEND EMAIL to the FOLLOWING REPRESENTATIVES - COPY and PASTE:
Timm.Ormsby@leg.wa.gov, Steve.Bergquist@leg.wa.gov, Drew.Stokesbary@leg.wa.gov, Mia.Gregorson@leg.wa.gov, Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov, Matt.Boehnke@leg.wa.gov, Kelly.Chambers@leg.wa.gov, Michelle.Caldier@leg.wa.gov, Bruce.Chandler@leg.wa.gov, Frank.Chopp@leg.wa.gov, Eileen.Cody@leg.wa.gov, Chris.Corry@leg.wa.gov, Laurie.Dolan@leg.wa.gov, Mary.Dye@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov, Noel.Frame@leg.wa.gov, Drew.Hansen@leg.wa.gov, Paul.Harris@leg.wa.gov, Larry.Hoff@leg.wa.gov, Cyndy.Jacobsen@leg.wa.gov, Jesse.Johnson@leg.wa.gov, Debra.Lekanoff@leg.wa.gov, Nicole.Macri@leg.wa.gov, Gerry.Pollet@leg.wa.gov, Skyler.Rude@leg.wa.gov, Cindy.Ryu@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Schmick@leg.wa.gov, Tana.Senn@leg.wa.gov, Larry.Springer@leg.wa.gov, Mike.Steele@leg.wa.gov, Monica.Stonier@leg.wa.gov, Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov, Steve.Tharinger@leg.wa.gov
AND ALSO CC THE FOLLOWING:
