(1) The sex offender treatment providers advisory committee is established to advise the secretary concerning the administration of this chapter.
(2) The secretary shall appoint the members of the advisory committee, which shall consist of the following persons:
(a) One superior court judge;
(b) Three sex offender treatment providers;
(c) One mental health practitioner who specializes in treating victims of sexual assault;
(d) One defense attorney with experience in representing persons charged with sexual offenses;
(e) One representative from a statewide association representing prosecuting attorneys;
(f) The secretary of the department of social and health services or the secretary's designee;
(g) The secretary of the department of corrections or the secretary's designee; and
(h) The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families or the secretary's designee.
(3) The advisory committee shall be a permanent body. The members shall serve staggered six-year terms, to be set by the secretary. No person other than the members representing the departments of social and health services, children, youth, and families, and corrections may serve more than two consecutive terms.
(4) The secretary may remove any member of the advisory committee for cause as specified by rule. In the case of a vacancy, the secretary shall appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(5) The advisory committee shall provide advice to the secretary concerning:
(a) Certification procedures under this chapter and their implementation;
(b) Standards maintained under RCW 18.155.080, and advice on individual applications for certification;
(c) Issues pertaining to maintaining a healthy workforce of certified sex offender treatment providers to meet the needs of the state of Washington. In considering workforce issues, the advisory committee must evaluate options for reducing or eliminating some or all of the certification-related fees, including the feasibility of requiring that the cost of regulation of persons certified under this chapter be borne by the professions that are identified as eligible to be an underlying credential for certification; and
(d) Recommendations for reform of regulatory or administrative practices of the department, the department of social and health services, or the department of corrections that are within the purview and expertise of the advisory committee. The advisory committee may submit recommendations requiring statutory reform to the office of the governor, the secretary of the senate, and the chief clerk of the house of representatives.
(6) Committee members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
(7) The advisory committee shall elect officers as deemed necessary to administer its duties. A simple majority of the advisory committee members currently serving shall constitute a quorum of the advisory committee.
(8) Members of the advisory committee shall be residents of the state of Washington.
(9) Members of the advisory committee who are sex offender treatment providers must have a minimum of five years of extensive work experience in treating sex offenders to qualify for appointment to the advisory committee. The sex offender treatment providers on the advisory committee must be certified under this chapter.
(10) The advisory committee shall meet at times as necessary to conduct advisory committee business.
[ 2020 c 266 § 5.]