Privacy measure before House exempts parents

Tom McBride, executive secretary of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, says the bill wouldn't do away with privileged conversations, such as relationships between children and their doctors, lawyers or priests.

Some think the bill would compromise those types of conversations, since technically parents would be able to listen to any communication that comes into their homes.

"This [bill] puts children and parents in an adversarial position," said Jennifer Shaw, legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington. She said the ACLU has never advocated criminally prosecuting a parent for eavesdropping, but this bill is "extremely far-reaching."

The bill assumes that the parent always has the best interest of the child in mind and that may not always be the case, Shaw said. She said the bill could cause an abused child to become a prisoner in the home.

House Judiciary Chairwoman Patricia Lantz, D-Gig Harbor, agreed.

"If you are allowing and encouraging intervention, it certainly is not helping a child in trouble," she said.

Most people consider a conversation between two people to be private, Lantz said. "The fact that it's a minor doesn't even matter," she said.

The bill is being amended and will be reconsidered by her committee.

Christina Siderius: 360-236-8169 or csiderius@seattletimes.com