H-0054.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1388

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

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

Read first time 01/24/97.  Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.

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

    AN ACT Relating to siting of work release programs; and amending RCW 72.65.220.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 72.65.220 and 1994 c 271 s 1001 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department ((and)), other state agencies that have responsibility for siting the department's facilities, and private organizations that contract with the department to operate work release facilities shall establish a process for early and continuous public participation in establishing or relocating work release or other community-based facilities.  This process shall include public meetings in the local communities affected, opportunities for written and oral comments, and wide dissemination of proposals and alternatives.

    (2) The department or a private organization that contracts with the department to operate a work release facility may establish or relocate a work release or other community-based facility only after holding local public meetings and providing public notification to local communities consistent with this chapter.

    (3) When the department has selected three or fewer sites for final consideration for site selection of a work release or other community-based facility, notification shall be given and public hearings shall be held in the final three or fewer local communities where the siting is proposed.  Additional notification and a public hearing shall also be conducted in the local community selected as the final proposed site, prior to completion of the siting process.  All hearings and notifications shall be consistent with this chapter.

    (4) Throughout this process the department shall provide notification to all newspapers of general circulation in the local area and all local radio stations, television stations, and cable networks.

    (5) Notice shall also be provided to appropriate school districts, private schools, kindergartens, city and county libraries, and all other local government offices within a one-half mile radius of the proposed facility.

    (6) In addition, the department shall also provide notice to the local chamber of commerce, local economic development agencies, and any other local organizations that request such notification from the department.

    (7) Notification in writing shall be provided to all residents and/or property owners within a one-half mile radius of the proposed site.

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