FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1388

                         C 348 L 97

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Requiring that private organizations that contract with the department to operate work release facilities go through the siting process.

Sponsors:  Representatives Conway, Ballasiotes, Sullivan, Dickerson, Cairnes, Quall, Robertson, Wood, Blalock, O'Brien, Scott, Wensman, Cooper, Costa and Ogden.

House Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

Background:  The Department of Corrections operates work release programs at various locations around the state. The department also contracts with a number of private sector businesses to operate several of the programs.

These programs allow inmates to leave the prison facility for a specified number of hours each day to work or otherwise re-establish themselves in the community.  The inmates return to the facility for the rest of the day.

The department is required to provide sufficient notice to the public relating to the construction or relocation of a work release facility.  The process includes:

Cholding public meetings in the community where the work release site will be located to receive public comments on the proposed site;

Cproviding copies of site proposals and any alternatives;

Cnotifying the local media, schools, libraries, and government offices where the facility will be located;

Cupon request, providing notices to local chambers of commerce,  economic development agencies, and any other local organizations;

Cproviding written notification to all residents and property owners located within a half mile where the site is proposed;

Cholding public hearings in the communities where the final three sites are being considered; and

Cproviding additional notification and public hearings in the community where the final site is being proposed.

It is unclear whether this provision applies to private businesses that contract with the Department of Corrections.

Summary:  The facility siting statute is amended to require private organizations contracting with the Department of Corrections for the operation or relocation of a work release program or other community-based facility to follow the same facility siting process as the department and any other state agencies.  Private businesses planning to build or relocate a work release facility must provide sufficient notice to the entire community located within a half mile radius. The requirement to comply with the state=s facility siting process must be part of the Department of Corrections= contract with the contracting entity.

  Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 0

Senate 47 0 (Senate amended)

House       (House refused to concur)

Senate 38 0 (Senate amended)

House  98 0 (House concurred)

Effective:July 27,  1997