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Committee hears Competency Attainment Board bill; board requests policy tweaks and funding to expand forensic navigator program
Summary
House File 3070, presented by the Competency Attainment Board, requests policy clarifications and increased funding to support forensic navigators who help defendants attain competency for criminal proceedings. The committee laid the bill over after hearing that the program has grown to 24 navigators with plans to reach 30.
House File 3070, carried by Representative Liebling on behalf of the Competency Attainment Board, was presented and laid over for further consideration after testimony from Kim Larson, the state program administrator for the board.
The bill seeks two categories of changes: (1) policy clarifications to more precisely state that forensic navigators "monitor" (rather than "supervise") defendants to avoid conflation with probation or pretrial supervision, and to eliminate a duplicative data-collection requirement by relying on court-collected data for reporting; and (2) an appropriation request to support statewide expansion and board operations.
Program description and testimony
Kim Larson told the committee the board was created in 2022 as an independent judicial-branch board and that forensic navigators are appointed by the court in criminal cases where competency to stand trial is at issue. Forensic navigators connect defendants with housing, mental health and substance-use treatment and other supports to help them achieve stability and competency so they can resolve their cases. Larson said many defendants served by navigators are living in the community rather than in locked hospital settings.
Larson also reported program growth: the office employed 24 forensic navigators at the time of testimony and expected to have 30 by the following week. The board marked its one-year anniversary April 1, 2025.
Policy changes requested
Larson said the requested substitution of the term "monitor" for "supervision" is intended to clarify that navigators do not exercise the supervisory authorities associated with probation or pretrial services; another requested change would reduce duplicate reporting by using data already collected by the State Court Administrator’s Office. The bill would also remove the statutory requirement that board membership include a former forensic navigator.
Procedure and next steps
Committee members praised the progress in onboarding staff and hearing the overview; the bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus package. Supporters said passage would allow the program to mature and meet statewide needs.
