HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1753

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Human Services

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to juvenile structured transition services.

Brief Description:  Modifying provisions for juvenile structured transition services.

Sponsors:  Representatives Leonard, Cooke, Ogden, Finkbeiner, King and H. Myers; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, March 1, 1993, DP;

Appropriations, April 9, 1993, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Riley, Vice Chair; Cooke, Ranking Minority Member; Talcott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brown; Karahalios; Patterson; Thibaudeau; and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives Lisk and Padden.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  Governor Gardner submitted a budget proposal for the 1993-95 biennium which will close Green Hill School and Eagle Lodge at the Naselle Youth Camp. The combined institutional capacity of juvenile institutions will be reduced by 112 beds.

Summary of Bill:  Juvenile offenders committed to the Department of Social and Health Services may be transferred from juvenile institutions to community placements after serving 72 percent of their minimum term of confinement.  Juvenile offenders released to the community may have to reside at a specific address, submit to electronic monitoring, participate in training or education activities, receive treatment, and obey other requirements.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  If juvenile offenders receive additional transition services when they leave the institution, they will be less likely to reoffend.  The need for institutional beds will also be reduced.

Testimony Against:  Juveniles should not have their sentences reduced to allow for the closure of institutional beds.

Witnesses: (Pro): Representative Leonard, prime sponsor; Larry Fehr, Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency; Pat Arthur, Evergreen Legal Services; Margaret Casey, Washington State Catholic Conference, The Children's Alliance and Washington Juvenile Court Administrators; John Turner, Mountlake Terrace Police; and (con) Mike Redman, Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 20 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Cooke; Dellwo; Dorn; Dunshee; G. Fisher; Jacobsen; Lemmon; Leonard; Linville; Peery; Rust; Sehlin; Sommers; Talcott; Wang; and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 5 members:  Representatives Ballasiotes; Basich; Morton; Sheahan; and Stevens.

Staff:  Wayne Kawakami (786-7384).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee on Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee on Human Services:  No new changes were recommended.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  The adverse economic impact to the communities should be considered in the closure decision.  Allowing the closures is ill advised for public policy.  The only justification for the proposal is due to economics and budget constraints.  The policy was not developed with a full understanding of the impacts and costs. 

Witnesses: (Con) Gary Moore, Washington State Employees; and Mike Redman, Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.