(1)(a) There is created the office of independent investigations advisory board. The advisory board shall consist of the following 11 members, appointed by the governor, one of whom the governor shall designate as chair:
(i) Three members of the general public representing the community who are not current or former law enforcement, with preference given to individuals representing diverse communities;
(ii) One member of the general public representing a family impacted by an incident of the nature under the jurisdiction of the office, who is not current or former law enforcement;
(iii) One member representing a federally recognized tribe in Washington, who is not current or former law enforcement;
(iv) One defense attorney representative;
(v) One prosecuting attorney representative;
(vi) One representative of a police officer labor association with experience in homicide investigations;
(vii) One sheriff or police chief who is also a member of an independent investigation team;
(viii) One credentialed mental health expert who is not current or former law enforcement; and
(ix) One member of the criminal justice training commission.
(b) The members of the advisory board appointed by the governor shall be appointed for terms of three years and until their successors are appointed and confirmed. The governor shall stagger the initial appointment terms of the advisory board members with the terms of five members being for two years from the date of appointment and six members being for three years from the date of appointment. The governor shall designate the appointees who will serve the two-year and three-year terms. The members of the advisory board serve without compensation, but must be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW
43.03.050 and
43.03.060.
(c) The governor, when making appointments to the advisory board, shall make appointments that reflect the cultural diversity of the state of Washington.
(2) The purpose of the advisory board is to provide input to the office and shall:
(a) Provide input to the governor on the selection of the director, including providing candidates for consideration for appointment for the position of director. If the governor requests additional candidates for consideration, the advisory board shall provide additional candidates to the governor. If the governor provides an alternative candidate, the advisory board must consider the candidate provided by the governor and vote on the approval or rejection of the candidate.
(i) The advisory board shall recommend candidates to the governor who they find are individuals with sound judgment, independence, objectivity, and integrity who will be viewed as a trustworthy director.
(ii) The director must have experience either in conducting criminal investigations or prosecutions. The advisory board shall consider the relevant experience and qualifications of the candidate including the extent to which they demonstrate experience or demonstrated understanding of the following areas:
(A) Criminal investigations;
(B) Organizational leadership;
(C) Mental health issues;
(D) Trauma-informed interviewing;
(E) Community leadership;
(F) Legal experience or background;
(G) Antioppression and antiracist analysis and addressing systemic inequities; and
(H) Working with black, indigenous, and communities of color;
(b) Provide input to the director on the plans required to be developed for the office including the regional investigation teams; staffing; training for personnel; procedures for engagement with individuals involved in any case under the jurisdiction of the office, as well as families and the community; recommendations to the legislature; and other input as requested by the governor or director;
(c) Participate in employment interviews as requested by the governor or director; and
(d) Receive briefings or reports from the director relating to data, trends, and other relevant issues, as well as cases under investigation to the extent permitted by law.
(3) Advisory board members have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of the information they receive during the course of their work on the advisory board. Each advisory board member shall agree in writing to not disclose any information they receive or otherwise access related to an investigation, including information about individuals involved in the investigation as involved officers, individuals who are the subject of police action, witnesses, and investigators.
(4) Advisory board members must complete training to utilize an antiracist lens in their duties as advisory board members.
(5) The office shall provide administrative and clerical assistance to the advisory board.
