04/28/1994 04:20 PM Senate JUD

 SENATOR TAYLOR brought CSHB 79(FIN) am (DAMAGE TO PROPERTY BY                 
 MINORS) before the committee as the final order of business.  He              
 directed attention to a proposed Judiciary SCS, which was prepared            
 as a result of concerns raised at a previous hearing on the                   
 legislation.  One change provides for two reasonable standards for            
 the parent to get out from under liability: (1) unless the parent,            
 legal guardian, or person having custody of the minor has been made           
 a party in the civil action; and (2) if the parent, legal guardian,           
 or person having legal custody of the minor has acted reasonably to           
 exercise control over the minor or to influence the minor's                   
 behavior.                                                                     
                                                                               
 SENATOR DONLEY stated his support for the new language in the                 
 committee substitute.                                                         
                                                                               
 SENATOR HALFORD moved that SCS CSHB 79(JUD) be adopted.  Hearing no           
 objection, the motion carried.                                                
                                                                               
 There was discussion on what the amount should be that could be               
 recovered in a civil action, which is set at $2,000 in current                
 statute.                                                                      
                                                                               
 SENATOR HALFORD moved that on page  1, line 7 of the Judiciary SCS,           
 to delete "$2,000" and replace it with "$5,000."  Hearing no                  
 objection, the amendment was adopted.                                         
                                                                               
 PATTI SWENSON, staff to Representative Con Bunde, stated that                 
 Representative Bunde would like that amount to be set at $25,000.             
 She related that recently there was vandalism on two school                   
 playgrounds, and the vandalism at one school was $10,000 and at the           
 other school it is over $20,000 at this point.  She said if the               
 amount were higher, in the future it would help school districts or           
 any organization that sustained such damage.                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR asked for the pleasure of the committee.                       
                                                                               
 SENATOR JACKO moved that SCS CSHB 79(JUD), as amended, be passed              
 out of committee with individual recommendations.  Hearing no                 
 objection, it was so ordered.