Prefiled 12/08/08. Read first time 01/12/09.   Referred to Committee on Human Services.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Our system of justice presumes that a person accused of committing a crime is innocent until proven guilty; and
     WHEREAS, Under current federal law, persons awaiting trial or other disposition of their cases in county jails or juvenile detention facilities are ineligible to receive medicare, medicaid, supplementary security income, or state children's health insurance program benefits, even though their culpability in a criminal case has not been proven; and
     WHEREAS, Counties must bear the financial burden of providing medical care to persons who are held in county jails; and
     WHEREAS, Many persons in custody who are affected by mental illness suffer further and are at higher risk of reoffending after they are released because of a delay in the reinstatement of their federal benefits;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Congress pass HR 5698, the Restoring Partnership for County Health Care Costs Act of 2008.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.