2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 43.43.830: Background checks — Access to children or vulnerable persons — Definitions.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.845.

     (1) "Applicant" means:

     (a) Any prospective employee who will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization;

     (b) Any prospective volunteer who will have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization under circumstances where such access will or may involve groups of (i) five or fewer children under twelve years of age, (ii) three or fewer children between twelve and sixteen years of age, (iii) developmentally disabled persons, or (iv) vulnerable adults;

     (c) Any prospective adoptive parent, as defined in RCW 26.33.020; or

     (d) Any prospective custodian in a nonparental custody proceeding under chapter 26.10 RCW.

     (2) "Business or organization" means a business or organization licensed in this state, any agency of the state, or other governmental entity, that educates, trains, treats, supervises, houses, or provides recreation to developmentally disabled persons, vulnerable adults, or children under sixteen years of age, including but not limited to public housing authorities, school districts, and educational service districts.

     (3) "Civil adjudication proceeding" is a judicial or administrative adjudicative proceeding that results in a finding of, or upholds an agency finding of, domestic violence, abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation or financial exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult under chapter 13.34, 26.44, or 74.34 RCW, or rules adopted under chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW. "Civil adjudication proceeding" also includes judicial or administrative orders that become final due to the failure of the alleged perpetrator to timely exercise a right afforded to him or her to administratively challenge findings made by the department of social and health services or the department of health under chapter 13.34, 26.44, or 74.34 RCW, or rules adopted under chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW.

     (4) "Conviction record" means "conviction record" information as defined in RCW 10.97.030 and 10.97.050 relating to a crime committed by either an adult or a juvenile. It does not include a conviction for an offense that has been the subject of an expungement, pardon, annulment, certificate of rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted, or a conviction that has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence. It does include convictions for offenses for which the defendant received a deferred or suspended sentence, unless the record has been expunged according to law.

     (5) "Crime against children or other persons" means a conviction of any of the following offenses: Aggravated murder; first or second degree murder; first or second degree kidnaping; first, second, or third degree assault; first, second, or third degree assault of a child; first, second, or third degree rape; first, second, or third degree rape of a child; first or second degree robbery; first degree arson; first degree burglary; first or second degree manslaughter; first or second degree extortion; indecent liberties; incest; vehicular homicide; first degree promoting prostitution; communication with a minor; unlawful imprisonment; simple assault; sexual exploitation of minors; first or second degree criminal mistreatment; endangerment with a controlled substance; child abuse or neglect as defined in RCW 26.44.020; first or second degree custodial interference; first or second degree custodial sexual misconduct; malicious harassment; first, second, or third degree child molestation; first or second degree sexual misconduct with a minor; patronizing a juvenile prostitute; child abandonment; promoting pornography; selling or distributing erotic material to a minor; custodial assault; violation of child abuse restraining order; child buying or selling; prostitution; felony indecent exposure; criminal abandonment; or any of these crimes as they may be renamed in the future.

     (6) "Crimes relating to drugs" means a conviction of a crime to manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.

     (7) "Crimes relating to financial exploitation" means a conviction for first, second, or third degree extortion; first, second, or third degree theft; first or second degree robbery; forgery; or any of these crimes as they may be renamed in the future.

     (8) "Unsupervised" means not in the presence of:

     (a) Another employee or volunteer from the same business or organization as the applicant; or

     (b) Any relative or guardian of any of the children or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults to which the applicant has access during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization.

     (9) "Vulnerable adult" means "vulnerable adult" as defined in chapter 74.34 RCW, except that for the purposes of requesting and receiving background checks pursuant to RCW 43.43.832, it shall also include adults of any age who lack the functional, mental, or physical ability to care for themselves.

     (10) "Financial exploitation" means "financial exploitation" as defined in RCW 74.34.020.

     (11) "Agency" means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or facility which receives, provides services to, houses or otherwise cares for vulnerable adults.

[2005 c 421 § 1; 2003 c 105 § 5; 2002 c 229 § 3; 1999 c 45 § 5; 1998 c 10 § 1; 1996 c 178 § 12; 1995 c 250 § 1; 1994 c 108 § 1; 1992 c 145 § 16. Prior: 1990 c 146 § 8; 1990 c 3 § 1101; prior: 1989 c 334 § 1; 1989 c 90 § 1; 1987 c 486 § 1.]

Effective date -- 2002 c 229: See note following RCW 9A.42.100.      Effective date -- 1996 c 178: See note following RCW 18.35.110.      Index, part headings not law -- Severability -- Effective dates -- Application -- 1990 c 3: See RCW 18.155.900 through 18.155.902. At-risk children volunteer program: RCW 43.150.080. Developmentally disabled persons: RCW 41.06.475. State hospitals: RCW 72.23.035.