HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

SSB 6621

Brief Description:  Creating a task force to study the interstate compact for adult offender supervision.

Sponsors:  Senators Costa and McCaslin.

Hearing:  February 18, 2000.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS

BACKGROUND:

Washington entered the into the current interstate compact, for offenders on probation or parole, in the late 1930's.  The compact allows Washington to permit any offender convicted of an offense within Washington, and placed on probation or released on parole, to reside in any state within the U.S. including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

In order for the offender to move to another state, such person must be a resident of or have family residing within the new "receiving" state and can obtain employment within that state.  In instances where the person is not a resident of the receiving state and does not have family residing there, the receiving state must consent to have such person sent there.

Prior to Washington granting permission to an offender=s move, opportunity must be granted to the receiving state to investigate the home and prospective employment of such person.  A receiving state that grants permission to an offender=s move into their state must also assume the duties of supervision over the probationer or parolee.  In addition, if a circumstance arises such as a new criminal charge, any duly accredited officer of Washington may at any time enter the receiving state, apprehend, and retake the person on probation or parole.  The receiving state may retain the offender if he or she commits any new crime within their state.

After several hearings, national surveys, meetings of the Council of State Governments, and a study by a task force appointed by the National Institute of Corrections, it was recommended that the original interstate compact be amended.  As a result, the compact was revised, renamed the Interstate Compact for the Supervision of Parolees and Probationers and would do the following:

Ccreate a structure to ensure that states abide by the interstate transfer rules that they mutually agree upon;

Ccreate a system of administration for states to provide current notification and case information about probationers and parolees authorized to be in another state; and

Ccreate a system with the authority to facilitate and make rules for the movement of offenders across state lines.

SUMMARY OF BILL: 

A task force is created, by the Governor, to study the new interstate compact for adult offenders to determine whether it is in the state's interest to adopt the new proposed compact.  The study must include both positive and negative aspects of adopting the compact as well as a comparison to the current probation and parole interstate compact. The task force must include the following individuals:

Ctwo senators and two representatives, representing both caucuses in each house;

Cone superior court judge appointed by the Superior Court Judge=s Association;

Cthe attorney general or his or her designee;

Cthe secretary of the Department of Corrections or his or her designee;

Cthe chair of the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board or his or her designee;

Cthe chief of the Washington State Patrol or his or her designee;

Cone prosecutor designated by the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys;

Cone defense attorney designated by the Washington Defender Association;

Cone sheriff or police chief designated by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and    Police Chiefs; and

Ctwo victim advocates designated by the Washington Coalition of Crime Victim             Advocates.

Recommendations must be made to the Legislature by January 1, 2001.  The task force is staffed by Senate Committee Services and the Office of Program Research staff.

FISCAL NOTE:  Requested on February 10, 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of a session in which bill is passed.