| Passed by the House April 21, 2003 Yeas 78 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 16, 2003 Yeas 49 ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1609 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/25/03.
AN ACT Relating to pilot regional correctional facilities; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that numerous changes
to the sentencing reform act, chapter 9.94A RCW, as reported by the
sentencing guidelines commission, have resulted in increases in the
length of local jail and state prison sentences and in the number of
local jail and state prison inmates. The intent of the sentencing
reform act, particularly provisions regarding protection of the public,
reduction of the risk of reoffense, and making frugal use of state and
local government resources, would best be served, in many instances, by
local and state corrections authorities sharing resources and
jurisdiction over regional correctional facilities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) Not later than December 31, 2003, the
sentencing guidelines commission shall present to the legislature a
plan for establishing pilot regional correctional facilities.
(2) The plan for establishing pilot regional correctional
facilities must include, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) A plan for increasing the space availability in local and
county jails for pretrial detainees;
(b) An efficient and effective plan for joint use of total
confinement beds by local and state government;
(c) A description of proposed shared and/or revised jurisdiction
and operational responsibility, including the possibility of
establishing a regional corrections authority;
(d) A summary of proposed changes to the criminal code reflecting
revised housing jurisdiction;
(e) A plan to account for the inmate population eligible for
placement in pilot regional correctional facilities which includes:
Pretrial detainees, inmates serving sentences of sixty days to twenty-four months, and inmates serving terms of confinement totaling more
than one year.
(i) Other than pretrial detainees, only inmates serving sentences
of sixty days to twenty-four months are eligible for placement in
regional correctional facilities.
(ii) Regional correctional facilities must accept inmates serving
terms of confinement totaling more than one year;
(f) A review of treatment services and programs intended to meet
the needs of special populations including drug and substance abuse,
mental health, and special medical needs;
(g) An estimate of potential benefits to local and county jail
operators and to the state, which could be realized by implementation
of pilot programs;
(h) A proposed method for identifying pilot regional correctional
facility sites;
(i) A methodology for evaluating the costs benefit of operation of
pilot facilities; and
(j) Recommendations for sharing capacity, resources, and funding of
the construction and operation cost of the facilities.