S-1898               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 3503

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Human Services and Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Granlund and Kreidler)

Read first time 3/1/85.

AN ACT Relating to inmate grievances; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     (1) As part of the corrections standards board review of the grievance procedures of the department of corrections under RCW 72.09.160, the board shall conduct a pilot project in which it shall selectively screen a representative sample of the complaints which have exhausted existing administrative remedies in the department of corrections grievance process.  The department of corrections shall provide access and information as requested by the board for this purpose.  The screening shall not constitute an additional administrative remedy available to any inmate who has exhausted his or her remedies within the department.  If, after examining any complaint, the board is of the opinion that the complaint is valid, the board shall make an appropriate recommendation to the secretary of corrections.

          (2) The pilot project conducted under subsection (1) of this section shall terminate on June 30, 1986, unless extended by the legislature.  At the conclusion of the pilot project, the board shall report to the legislature and the governor its findings and make appropriate recommendations concerning the continuation of the review.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     There is appropriated from the general fund to the corrections standards board for the period ending October 1, 1986, the sum of fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this act.