FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 2407

C 124 L 02

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Establishing the authority to create and operate regional jails.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Lovick, Hurst, Woods, Kagi and Haigh.

House Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections

Senate Committee on Judiciary

Background:

Any city, town, or county may build and operate a jail as long as that particular jail is located within the territorial boundaries of the county in which the city, town, or county is located.  A jail includes any holding facility, detention facility, special detention facility, or correctional facility.

Under the Interlocal Cooperation Act, local governments and state agencies are authorized to enter into cooperative contracts for one public entity to provide a service, activity, or undertaking to the other public entity, if all parties to the contract possess the authority to provide the service, activity, or undertaking.  Interlocal contracts for jail services may be made between a county and a city located within the boundaries of the county or among other counties.

Summary:

Two or more local governments, or one or more local governments and the state, are authorized to create and operate regional jails.  In addition, these regional jails may be operated by representatives from multiple jurisdictions as long as they comply with the Interlocal Cooperation Act.

Any prosecuting jurisdiction that confines a person in a county other than its own county must provide private telephone, video-conferencing, or in-person contact between the defendant and his or her public defense counsel.

Votes on Final Passage:

House980

Senate450(Senate amended)

House940(House concurred)

Effective:  June 13, 2002