H-1314.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1923

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives O'Brien, Koster, Anderson, Ogden, Lantz, Miloscia, Hankins and Ballasiotes

Read first time 02/10/1999.  Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.

Establishing a postsecondary education program for inmates.

    AN ACT Relating to postsecondary courses for inmates; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The department of corrections shall implement and obtain through a request for proposal process, a pilot postsecondary educational program for inmates.

    (1) The secretary shall ensure that the request for proposal is offered to community and four-year colleges to provide postsecondary educational courses for inmates on a self-pay system.

    (2) Inmates shall pay all costs and tuition for participation in the postsecondary courses.

    (3) The secretary shall select for the pilot program one institution for males and one institution for females.

    (4) The secretary shall ensure that the pilot program addresses all modes of instruction, including distance learning and other technologies.

    (5) Inmates may use their own funds and funds deducted by the department under RCW 72.09.111 from their personal inmate savings account for the sole purposes of their postsecondary educational classes.

    (6) The department may not preclude an inmate from participating in a postsecondary education course based upon the inmate's release date or custody level.

    (7) The department shall provide any necessary space and administrative support if the college or university provides the postsecondary educational classes.

    (8) The department shall administer the pilot postsecondary educational program for one year.

    (9) The department shall prepare and submit a report to the legislature, not later than January 1, 2001, including recommendations regarding whether the pilot postsecondary educational program should be extended and stating the number of inmates who participated in the program.

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