Persons committed following dismissal of sex, violent, or felony harassment offense — Notification of conditional release, final release, leave, transfer, or escape — To whom given — Definitions.

RCW 71.05.425
in effect
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(1)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, at the earliest possible date, and in no event later than thirty days before conditional release, final release, authorized leave under RCW 71.05.325 (2), or transfer to a facility other than a state mental hospital, the superintendent shall send written notice of conditional release, release, authorized leave, or transfer of a person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) to the following: (i) The chief of police of the city, if any, in which the person will reside; (ii) The sheriff of the county in which the person will reside; and (iii) The prosecuting attorney of the county in which the criminal charges against the committed person were dismissed. (b) The same notice as required by (a) of this subsection shall be sent to the following, if such notice has been requested in writing about a specific person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7): (i) The victim of the sex, violent, or felony harassment offense that was dismissed pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) preceding commitment under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) or the victim's next of kin if the crime was a homicide; (ii) Any witnesses who testified against the person in any court proceedings; (iii) Any person specified in writing by the prosecuting attorney. Information regarding victims, next of kin, or witnesses requesting the notice, information regarding any other person specified in writing by the prosecuting attorney to receive the notice, and the notice are confidential and shall not be available to the person committed under this chapter; and (iv) The chief of police of the city, if any, and the sheriff of the county, if any, which had jurisdiction of the person on the date of the applicable offense. (c) The thirty-day notice requirements contained in this subsection shall not apply to emergency medical transfers. (d) The existence of the notice requirements in this subsection will not require any extension of the release date in the event the release plan changes after notification. (2) If a person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) escapes, the superintendent shall immediately notify, by the most reasonable and expedient means available, the chief of police of the city and the sheriff of the county in which the person escaped and in which the person resided immediately before the person's arrest and the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the criminal charges against the committed person were dismissed. If previously requested, the superintendent shall also notify the witnesses and the victim of the sex, violent, or felony harassment offense that was dismissed pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) preceding commitment under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4) or the victim's next of kin if the crime was a homicide. In addition, the secretary shall also notify appropriate parties pursuant to RCW 70.02.230 (2)(o). If the person is recaptured, the superintendent shall send notice to the persons designated in this subsection as soon as possible but in no event later than two working days after the department of social and health services learns of such recapture. (3) If the victim, the victim's next of kin, or any witness is under the age of sixteen, the notice required by this section shall be sent to the parent or legal guardian of the child. (4) The superintendent shall send the notices required by this chapter to the last address provided to the department of social and health services by the requesting party. The requesting party shall furnish the department of social and health services with a current address. (5) For purposes of this section the following terms have the following meanings: (a) "Violent offense" means a violent offense under RCW 9.94A.030 ; (b) "Sex offense" means a sex offense under RCW 9.94A.030 ; (c) "Next of kin" means a person's spouse, state registered domestic partner, parents, siblings, and children; (d) "Felony harassment offense" means a crime of harassment as defined in RCW 9A.46.060 that is a felony. (1)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, at the earliest possible date, and in no event later than thirty days before conditional release, final release, authorized leave under RCW 71.05.325 (2), or transfer to a facility other than a state mental hospital, the superintendent shall send written notice of conditional release, release, authorized leave, or transfer of a person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) to the following: (i) The chief of police of the city, if any, in which the person will reside; (ii) The sheriff of the county in which the person will reside; and (iii) The prosecuting attorney of the county in which the criminal charges against the committed person were dismissed. (b) The same notice as required by (a) of this subsection shall be sent to the following, if such notice has been requested in writing about a specific person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7): (i) The victim of the sex, violent, or felony harassment offense that was dismissed pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) preceding commitment under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) or the victim's next of kin if the crime was a homicide; (ii) Any witnesses who testified against the person in any court proceedings; (iii) Any person specified in writing by the prosecuting attorney. Information regarding victims, next of kin, or witnesses requesting the notice, information regarding any other person specified in writing by the prosecuting attorney to receive the notice, and the notice are confidential and shall not be available to the person committed under this chapter; and (iv) The chief of police of the city, if any, and the sheriff of the county, if any, which had jurisdiction of the person on the date of the applicable offense. (c) The thirty-day notice requirements contained in this subsection shall not apply to emergency medical transfers. (d) The existence of the notice requirements in this subsection will not require any extension of the release date in the event the release plan changes after notification. (2) If a person committed under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4)(c) following dismissal of a sex, violent, or felony harassment offense pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) escapes, the superintendent shall immediately notify, by the most reasonable and expedient means available, the chief of police of the city and the sheriff of the county in which the person escaped and in which the person resided immediately before the person's arrest and the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the criminal charges against the committed person were dismissed. If previously requested, the superintendent shall also notify the witnesses and the victim of the sex, violent, or felony harassment offense that was dismissed pursuant to *RCW 10.77.645 (7) preceding commitment under RCW 71.05.280 (3) or 71.05.320 (4) or the victim's next of kin if the crime was a homicide. In addition, the secretary shall also notify appropriate parties pursuant to RCW 70.02.230 (2)(o). If the person is recaptured, the superintendent shall send notice to the persons designated in this subsection as soon as possible but in no event later than two working days after the department of social and health services learns of such recapture. (3) If the victim, the victim's next of kin, or any witness is under the age of sixteen, the notice required by this section shall be sent to the parent or legal guardian of the child. (4) The superintendent shall send the notices required by this chapter to the last address provided to the department of social and health services by the requesting party. The requesting party shall furnish the department of social and health services with a current address. (5) For purposes of this section the following terms have the following meanings: (a) "Violent offense" means a violent offense under RCW 9.94A.030 ; (b) "Sex offense" means a sex offense under RCW 9.94A.030 ; (c) "Next of kin" means a person's spouse, state registered domestic partner, parents, siblings, and children; (d) "Felony harassment offense" means a crime of harassment as defined in RCW 9A.46.060 that is a felony.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.05&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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