The Washington State Law Library - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

presents a brief overview of three Washington legislative history resources

Welcome to our presentation

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of RCW 9.56.030, “Theft in the First Degree, Other than a Firearm,” from the present back to 1975

• Washington Session

Laws

• Washington Final Legislative Reports
• Revised Code of Washington (RCW)

• In this presentation we’ll look briefly at these three main resources
• There are additional resources we will review in another presentation

The 2008 Revised Code of Washington (RCW) volumes are located in the Main Reading Room (MRR) of the Law Library at the Temple of Justice in Olympia, WA

Many public libraries also have a copy in their reference areas

• To locate materials in the RCW--in this case RCW 9.56.030--the first step would be to review vol. 8, the General Index to find Theft, First Degree

• Looking under “THEFT,” where the Index vol. says: “(See CRIMES)”
• On the next slide in this same Index vol., we'll look at “CRIMES” and then “Theft”

located in RCW 9A.56.030

• We begin our research in the 2008 main set
• Title 9A RCW is located in vol. 1

This page and the next are the text of RCW 9A.56.030, “Theft in the First Degree, Other than Firearms”

This page contains the legislative notes following the RCW 9A.56.030text

Has there been a new (post 2008) legislative session where RCW 9A.56.030 has been impacted?

“[2007 c 199 §3; 2005 c 212 §2; 1995 c 129 §11 (Initiative Measure No. 159); 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 §9A.56.030.]”

Legislative history notations always

follow the RCW text

Translation of 2007 c199 §3

The 2007 Washington State Legislature passed a law (ch. 199 §3), which impacted RCW 9A.56.030, “Theft in the First Degree”

The Laws of

Washington

This publication contains the text of the laws passed by the legislature and signed by the governor

Ch. 199 §3 added, “other than a motor vehicle,” making motor vehicle theft a separate crime from “Theft in the First Degree”

In the 1995 session, we will also see “theft of a firearm” made into a separate crime

Note the bill numbers:

Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1001 following the CHAPTER number

• Text of 2007 ch. 199
• Note the bill numbers: They will be critical later

• Section 3 (1)(b) shows the change where “Theft of a Motor Vehicle” is added separately from “Theft of Other Property”
• FYI: “Theft of a Motor Vehicle” is codified at RCW 9A.56.065

ch. 212 §2 added: “… (1)(c), a search and rescue dog … , while the search

and rescue dog is

on duty.”

• This is the beginning of the ch. 212 text
• NOTE the bill number under the CHAPTER 212 heading (Senate Bill 5979)

In 2005, a new section

(3)added, “… injures, disables or causes the death of an on-duty Search and Rescue dog” and made the crime a Class C Felony

Ch. 129

“INITIATIVE” 159

In 1995, the People brought forth Initiative 159, the Hard Time for Armed Crime Act

Initiatives are proposed by the People. This initiative, Hard Time for Armed Crime, is the people’s response to firearms being used during crimes. Often there was no additional time assessed for the use of a firearm during the crime

This is the beginning of the text of the1995 Washington Laws, ch. 129

• Amended to read, “other than a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010”
• FYI: “Theft of a Firearm,” is at RCW 9A.56.300

WASHINGTON CRIMINAL CODE

The 1975 Laws of Washington ch. 260 was the first comprehensive review of the Criminal Code since 1909

• The 1975 Washington Laws Ch. 260 §§ 9A.56.030- 9A.56.050, divide the crime of Theft into three degrees
• Theft in the First Degree becomes RCW 9A.56.030

• The RCW changes since 1975
• AND
• The Laws of Washington versions since 1975

RCW 9A.56.030 using two of the three resources

Our third and final resource to review is the Final Legislative Report

Final Legislative Reports are annual compilations of the final bill reports. They indicate who the sponsors of the bill were, what committees were responsible for the bill, the background of the bill, the intent of the bill, what it does, who voted for or against it and when the law takes effect

What are they? What can they tell us? Why are they important?

2007

We know from earlier research in the RCW and WA Session Laws, the most recent change to RCW 9A.56.030 was in the 2007 session

I said the bill numbers

areimportant?

The next page explains

why

• This is the 2007 Final Bill Report on E3SHB 1001
• Legislative note: 2007 c 199§3

• Consequently, Motor Vehicle theft is now located separately at RCW9A.56.065

2005

Legislature made additional changes in 2005

Legislative note: 2005 c212§2

• Adds, “… injures, disables or causes the death of an on-duty Search and Rescue dog,” to Theft in the First Degree

• The 1995 session brought Initiative #159, the Hard Time for Armed Crime Act
• Legislative note: 1995 c 129 §11

• Initiative 159 adds, “other than a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010…”
• This separates firearms from RCW 9A.56.030 and creates a new section, RCW 9A.56.300, Theft of a firearm

• The 1975 Laws made major changes to Washington’s criminal law
• Legislative note: c260§ 9A.56.030

• The first comprehensive review of the Washington Criminal Code since 1909

• And sets monetary values of each degree

• Legislature passes a law (ch. #). The Washington Session Laws are the final version of the law.
• The RCW is the codified version of the law. In other words, the new law which may adjust, add new sections or completely create a new law, is divided up into appropriate RCW sections.
• House and Senate staff jointly write the Final Legislative Report about the intent of the law.
• These three resources are primary resources but they are not the only legislative history sources.

• Valuable information on the Legislative process
• The RCW, Laws of Washington and the Final Legislative Reports build upon one another to provide a more complete legislative history

• Legislative Committee Reports
• Financial Reports
• Floor Debates
• Letters and memos between legislators or between legislators and citizens.
• TVW broadcasts of sessions
• House and Senate Journals

• These are available in print but a video presentation has not been made yet

• Some are available through our library
• Some are available online
• Some are available from TVW
• Some are only available through the Washington State Archives.
• Talk to our reference staff and we will assist you to locate the above materials and help make your research easier.

• Access?
• Talk to our staff

The House and Senate Journals

Thanks for watching

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