FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 738

                                  C 462 L 87

BYHouse Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives H. Sommers, Hankins, Peery, Miller, B. Williams, Braddock, Bristow, Jesernig and Winsley)

Transferring functions of corrections standards board to other state agencies.

House Committe on State Government

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Corrections Standards Board was established in 1981 as a board within the Washington State Jail Commission.  In 1983, the commission ceased to exist and the board assumed the functions of the commission.

The board is composed of nine voting members appointed by the governor and five nonvoting members representing the legislature and the Department of Corrections (DOC).

The board is responsible for:  (1) setting standards and distributing state funds for jail construction; (2) setting standards for prison operation; (3) monitoring compliance with prison standards; (4) setting standards for jail operation; (5) enforcing jail standards; and (6) gathering data on sentenced felons in jails and jail populations generally.

The board will cease to exist on July 1, 1987.  A review was conducted by the Legislative Budget Committee and the following recommendations were made:  1) the board be terminated on January 1, 1988; 2) the jail construction funding program be transferred to the Department of Community Development or the Office of Financial Management; 3) jail population data collection be transferred to DOC; 4) juvenile confinement compliance be transferred to the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS); and 5) DOC and DSHS adopt mandatory standards for the operation of adult and juvenile detention facilities under their control, and for local adult and juvenile facilities.

The board is assigned 10 full-time equivalent positions for all functions performed during 1987.

SUMMARY:

The Corrections Standards Board terminates on January 1, 1988.

The following functions are transferred or eliminated: 1) the juvenile confinement compliance function is transferred to the Department of Social and Health Services; 2) the jail population data collection function is transferred to the Office of Financial Management (OFM); 3) the local jail construction funding program shall be completed by the OFM; 4) state mandated operating standards for local jails are eliminated; and 5) the Department of Corrections shall adopt, no later than July 1, 1987, standards for operating its prison facilities.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 70  25

      Senate    27    17(Senate amended)

      House       (House refused to concur)

Free Conference Committee

      Senate    26    22

      House 84   8

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987

            May 18, 1987 (Sections 16 - 21)

            January 1, 1988 (Sections 1 - 11 and 16, 17, 22 and 23)