BILL REQ. #:  H-4311.1 

Read first time .   Referred to .

     BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
     THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article II, section 29 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:

     Article II, section 29. ((After the first day of January eighteen hundred and ninety)) The labor of ((convicts)) inmates of this state shall not be let out by contract to any person, copartnership, company or corporation, and the legislature shall by law provide for the working of ((convicts)) inmates for the benefit of the state, including the working of inmates in state-run inmate labor programs. The state shall not contract out inmate labor for involuntary servitude. All contracted inmate labor shall be compensated and voluntary. Inmate labor programs provided by statute that are operated and managed, in total or in part, by any profit or nonprofit entities shall be operated so that the programs do not unfairly compete with Washington businesses as determined by law and shall meet applicable worker safety requirements for comparable noninmate labor.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.