71.09.080 - Rights of persons committed under this chapter -- Use of personal computers regulated. - Washington Statutes

Rights of persons committed under this chapter — Use of personal computers regulated.

(1) Any person subjected to restricted liberty as a sexually violent predator pursuant to this chapter shall not forfeit any legal right or suffer any legal disability as a consequence of any actions taken or orders made, other than as specifically provided in this chapter, or as otherwise authorized by law.

     (2)(a) Any person committed or detained pursuant to this chapter shall be prohibited from possessing or accessing a personal computer if the resident's individualized treatment plan states that access to a computer is harmful to bringing about a positive response to a specific and certain phase or course of treatment.

     (b) A person who is prohibited from possessing or accessing a personal computer under (a) of this subsection shall be permitted to access a limited functioning personal computer capable of word processing and limited data storage on the computer only that does not have: (i) Internet access capability; (ii) an optical drive, external drive, universal serial bus port, or similar drive capability; or (iii) the capability to display photographs, images, videos, or motion pictures, or similar display capability from any drive or port capability listed under (b)(ii) of this subsection.

     (3) Any person committed pursuant to this chapter has the right to adequate care and individualized treatment. The department of social and health services shall keep records detailing all medical, expert, and professional care and treatment received by a committed person, and shall keep copies of all reports of periodic examinations made pursuant to this chapter. All such records and reports shall be made available upon request only to: The committed person, his or her attorney, the prosecuting attorney, the court, the protection and advocacy agency, or another expert or professional person who, upon proper showing, demonstrates a need for access to such records.

     (4) At the time a person is taken into custody or transferred into a facility pursuant to a petition under this chapter, the professional person in charge of such facility or his or her designee shall take reasonable precautions to inventory and safeguard the personal property of the persons detained or transferred. A copy of the inventory, signed by the staff member making it, shall be given to the person detained and shall, in addition, be open to inspection to any responsible relative, subject to limitations, if any, specifically imposed by the detained person. For purposes of this subsection, "responsible relative" includes the guardian, conservator, attorney, spouse, parent, adult child, or adult brother or sister of the person. The facility shall not disclose the contents of the inventory to any other person without consent of the patient or order of the court.

     (5) Nothing in this chapter prohibits a person presently committed from exercising a right presently available to him or her for the purpose of obtaining release from confinement, including the right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus.

     (6) No indigent person may be conditionally released or unconditionally discharged under this chapter without suitable clothing, and the secretary shall furnish the person with such sum of money as is required by RCW 72.02.100 for persons without ample funds who are released from correctional institutions. As funds are available, the secretary may provide payment to the indigent persons conditionally released pursuant to this chapter consistent with the optional provisions of RCW 72.02.100 and 72.02.110, and may adopt rules to do so.

     (7) If a civil commitment petition is dismissed, or a trier of fact determines that a person does not meet civil commitment criteria, the person shall be released within twenty-four hours of service of the release order on the superintendent of the special commitment center, or later by agreement of the person who is the subject of the petition.

[2010 c 218 § 2; 2009 c 409 § 7; 1995 c 216 § 8; 1990 c 3 § 1008.]

Notes: Findings -- 2010 c 218: "The legislature finds that there have been ongoing, egregious examples of certain residents of the special commitment center having illegal child pornography, other prohibited pornography, and other banned materials on their computers. The legislature also finds that activities at the special commitment center must be designed and implemented to meet the treatment goals of the special commitment center, and proper and appropriate computer usage is one such activity. The legislature also finds that by linking computer usage to treatment plans, residents are less likely to have prohibited materials on their computers and are more likely to successfully complete their treatment plans. Therefore, the legislature finds that residents' computer usage in compliance with conditions placed on computer usage is essential to achieving their therapeutic goals. If residents' usage of computers is not in compliance or is not related to meeting their treatment goals, computer usage will be limited in order to prevent or reduce residents' access to prohibited materials." [2010 c 218 § 1.]

Application -- Effective date -- 2009 c 409: See notes following RCW 71.09.020.