HOUSE BILL REPORT

2SSB 5086

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Halsan, Talmadge, Moore, Stratton and Gaspard)

Revising provisions on community supervision.

House Committe on Health Care

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Braddock, Chair; Day, Vice Chair; Brooks, Bumgarner, Cantwell, Lewis, Lux, D. Sommers and Sprenkle.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (1)

      Signed by Representative Vekich.

House Staff:Bill Hagens (786-7131)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Health Care.  (21)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Allen, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, McLean, McMullen, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, Silver, Smith, H. Sommers, Sprenkle and B. Williams.

House Staff:      Jim Lux (786-7152)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 17, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Corrections (DOC) has identified two groups of offenders that have the potential of serious danger to the public upon release:  1)  serious violent offenders and 2)  sexual offenders.

The present law does not permit post release supervision of offenders who are sentenced under the new Sentencing Reform Act (SRA).

SUMMARY:

Permits the Department of Corrections to order community custody of sexual offenders and serious violent offenders up to the amount of time equal to their early "good-time" release date or one year, whichever comes first.

Community custody is separate and distinct from community supervision because an offender who participates in the program will be classified as an "inmate" under RCW 72.09.020, and accordingly, community custody violations will be handled administratively by the Department of Corrections.

Any cost incurred as the result of community custody shall be the responsibility of the department.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Requested April 2, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Health Care) Senator Halsan, prime sponsor; Ray Coleman, King County; Bill Collins, Washington Correctional Association and Gary Moore, Washington Federation of State Employees.

(Ways & Means Appropriations)  Chase Riveland, Secretary of Department of Corrections.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Health Care)  Pat Arthur, Evergreen Legal Services.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Health Care)  Sexual offenders and sexual violent offenders pose a potential harm to the public and should be monitored.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  Same as before Health Care.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Health Care)  More time should be allowed before enacting legislation which may sabotage the recently adopted Sentencing Reform Act.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.