Training standards for law enforcement officers regarding domestic abuse incidents and complaints, and law enforcement reports following a domestic abuse incident. (FE)

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law generally requires a law enforcement officer to arrest a person if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has committed domestic abuse and that the person's actions constitute the commission of a crime. If the law enforcement officer does not arrest a person under these conditions, the officer must prepare a written report stating why the person was not arrested. The report must be sent to the district attorney's office and the district attorney must review the report to determine whether to charge the person. The district attorney must submit a report to the Department of Justice (DOJ) that lists the number of such arrests and the number of prosecutions and convictions resulting from the arrests. Under this bill, if the law enforcement officer does not make an arrest because he or she did not have reasonable grounds to believe that the person had committed domestic abuse or that the person's acts constituted the commission of a crime, the officer must also prepare a report that states why he or she lacked reasonable grounds to believe one of those factors. In addition, under this bill, the district attorney must include on the report to DOJ, the number of responses made by law enforcement to an incident involving domestic abuse that did not result in an arrest and the number of prosecutions and convictions of persons on those reports for a crime involving domestic abuse.

Under current law, a person must complete a preparatory program of law enforcement training that is approved by the law enforcement standards board before being appointed as a law enforcement officer. Any training program must include an adequate amount of training to enable the person to deal effectively with domestic abuse incidents. This bill requires the law enforcement standards board to establish standards for the training of law enforcement officers in handling domestic abuse incidents. The training must include the following: 1) the law enforcement officer's duty to protect the victim, to enforce all criminal laws in a domestic abuse incident, and to arrest the predominant aggressor if a crime has been committed; 2) the law enforcement officer's duty to inform the victim of shelters and services, give him or her notice of legal rights and remedies, explain how to file a petition for a domestic abuse or harassment injunction, and explain that he or she may contact a district attorney; and 3) the law enforcement officer's option to arrange transportation for the victim to go to the hospital or to a place of safety.

Who's behind it

10 senators are its authors⁠. 7 are Democrats and 3 are Republicans.

21 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DA
• Fiscal Estimate From SPD

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment Histories
• LC Amendment Memo