Authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to seek an expert mental evaluation of any patient in its custody when that patient has allegedly assaulted a hospital employee. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine competency to stand trial for the assault. DSHS must forward the evaluation results to the proper prosecuting authorities to make a charging determination.   Official Text and Analysis.

Removes provisions requiring the Department of Social and Health Services to conduct a competency evaluation for a patient who has assaulted a state hospital employee and requiring a patient's county of origin to pay costs of incarceration for a patient arrested for a crime committed at a state hospital.

Allows a state hospital to administer antipsychotic medication to a person who has been committed as criminally insane under the same procedures applicable to a civilly committed patient. A court may not authorize administration of the medication beyond 180 days.

Expands the crime of custodial assault to include an assault on a full or part-time staff member or volunteer, any educational personnel, any personal service provider, or any vendor or agent of a state hospital who was performing official duties at the time of the assault. A jail may not refuse to book a patient of a state hospital based solely on the patient's status as a state hospital patient, but may consider other relevant factors which apply to the individual circumstances of the case. A state hospital may administer antipsychotic medication without consent to a person committed as criminally insane. The maximum period during which the court may authorize medication is 180 days or the time remaining in the person's order of commitment, whichever is shorter. The state has a compelling interest in providing antipsychotic medication to a patient who has been committed as criminally insane when refusal of antipsychotic medication would result in a likelihood of serious harm or substantial deterioration or substantially prolong the length of involuntary commitment and there is no less intrusive course of treatment than medication in the best interest of the patient.