BILL REQ. #:  S-4025.1 

Read first time 01/10/2006.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to institutional chaplains; and amending RCW 72.01.210.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 72.01.210 and 1993 c 281 s 62 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of corrections shall appoint full-time and part-time chaplains for the state correctional institutions as is necessary to meet the religious needs for convicted felons((; and)), and for other custodial and correctional institutions under his or her control. The part-time chaplains are to be considered employees of the department of corrections with all the rights and responsibilities accorded employees under chapter 41.06 RCW as they relate to indemnification and defense for matters arising from acts while the employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment or duties. The chaplains appointed under this section are under the direct authority of a chaplain designated as the manager of religious programs within the department of corrections. The secretary of social and health services shall appoint chaplains for the correctional institutions for juveniles found delinquent by the juvenile courts((;)), and ((the secretary of corrections and the secretary of social and health services shall appoint one or more chaplains)) for other custodial, correctional, and mental institutions under ((their)) his or her control. The chaplains ((so)) appointed under this section shall have the qualifications consistent with community standards of the given faith group to which the chaplain belongs and shall be compensated in an amount, as shall hereafter be recommended by the departments and approved by the Washington personnel resources board. The department of corrections and the department of social and health services shall require chaplains appointed under this section to participate in training to the extent the training is necessary and appropriate to enable the chaplain to fulfill his or her duties as a chaplain.