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                                  HOUSE BILL 2466

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State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Ballasiotes, Blanton, Quall and D. Sommers; by request of Department of Corrections

Read first time 01/11/96.  Referred to Committee on Corrections.

Revising procedures for recoupment of assessments against offenders.

     AN ACT Relating to offender debts; and amending RCW 72.09.450.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 72.09.450 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 19 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) An inmate shall not be denied access to services or supplies required by state or federal law solely on the basis of his or her inability to pay for them.

     (2) The department shall record all lawfully authorized assessments for services or supplies as a debt to the department ((and)).  The department shall recoup the assessments when the inmate's institutional account exceeds the indigency standard, and may pursue other remedies to recoup the assessments after the period of incarceration.

(3) The department shall record as a debt any costs assessed by a court against an inmate plaintiff where the state is providing defense pursuant to chapter 4.92 RCW.  The department shall recoup the debt when the inmate's institutional account exceeds the indigency standard and may pursue other remedies to recoup the debt after the period of incarceration.

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