Bill Would Create Registry for WA Domestic Violence Offenders

For years, there's been a sex offender database, locally, regionally and nationally. Such individuals, depending upon their crimes, are tracked and monitored.

Now an 8th District House Representative from the Tri-Cities wants to create a similar database for those who are convicted of Domestic Violence in our state.

House Bill 1080 (HB1080) is co sponsored this year by Rep. Brad Klippert of Richland. Klippert's bill indicates Washington state has some of the highest rates of re-offenders when it comes to the crime of Domestic abuse or violence. It also says often it is difficult to determine if these suspect offenders have previous histories of committing such acts. From the text of the bill itself:

"Washington state data demonstrates a high rate of reoffense among perpetrators of domestic violence, and there is currently no way of knowing whether any particular person has an offense history in absence of a criminal background check or court records request."

Klippert's bill argues that a searchable, well kept database of Domestic violence crimes will greatly assist law enforcement and the legal system in dealing with such offenders, especially those who repeat.

A person would be placed in such a database if they are found guilty (convicted) of a felony count of Domestic Violence, as defined in the RCW statutes (Revised code of Washington), is also found to have previous such convictions either in or out of Washington state. If a person has multiple non-felony convictions, they would also be placed on the list. If during the conviction process, the suspect is deemed to be a threat to reoffend, or the crime was particularly violent or heinous, they would also be placed on the list.

The bill was scheduled to be heard in Committee on January 28th, If it makes it through it would then travel to the House floor for a vote.