H-3628.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2712

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      53rd Legislature     1994 Regular Session

By Representatives Ballasiotes, Campbell, Edmondson, Long, Chappell, Johanson, Padden, Eide, Appelwick, Tate and Brumsickle

Read first time 01/21/94.  Referred to Committee on Corrections.

Requiring the department of corrections to notify communities and hold public meetings concerning the possible siting of an adult work release facility in that area.

    AN ACT Relating to the siting of adult work release, prerelease, or any community-based facility operated or contracted out by the department of corrections; adding a new section to chapter 72.65 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 72.65 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department may not establish or relocate a community-based facility until after the department has held a minimum of two public hearings on the proposal.

    (2) The department and other state agencies that have responsibility for the siting of the department's facilities shall establish procedures for early and continuous public participation in facility placement plans.

    The procedures must provide, with special emphasis on the communities surrounding the proposed site, for:

    (a) A broad dissemination of proposals and alternatives;

    (b) Opportunities for written comments;

    (c) Public meetings;

    (d) Provisions for open discussions of the proposal; and

    (e) Consideration of and response to public comments.

    (3) Effective notice to the community shall include but not be limited to:

    (a) Newspaper articles in local papers stating the intent to site the facility and its purpose;

    (b) Newspaper notices specifying the date, time, and location of public meetings;

    (c) Mailing information regarding the meeting's purpose, date, time, and location to all residents and businesses within a ten-block radius of the proposed site; and

    (d) Notices posted on bulletin boards in public buildings that are within a ten-block radius of the proposed site, which specify the purpose, date, time, and location of the meeting.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1994.

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