HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 EHB 2712

                       As Passed House

                      February 14, 1994

Title:  An act relating to the siting of adult work release, prerelease, or any community‑based facility operated or contracted out by the Department of Corrections.

Brief Description:  Requiring the Department of Corrections to notify communities and hold public meetings concerning the possible siting of an adult work release facility in that area.

Sponsors:  Representatives Ballasiotes, Campbell, Edmondson, Long, Chappell, Johanson, Padden, Eide, Appelwick, Tate and Brumsickle.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Corrections, February 3, 1994, DP;

Passed House, February 14, 1994, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Morris, Chair; Mastin, Vice Chair; Long, Ranking Minority Member; Edmondson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; G. Cole; L. Johnson; Moak and Padden.

Staff:  Antonio Sanchez (786-7383).

Background:  The current process used for siting and constructing a prison facility is established and implemented by the Department of Corrections.  The Department of Corrections has the authority to identify the most appropriate site to construct a prison facility.  However, before a prison is constructed on an identified site, all federal laws and environmental requirements and reviews must be completed and approved.  In addition, all local laws and ordinances must be satisfied.

The Department of Corrections has no specific requirements in statute regarding the process for public participation or notification before or during the siting of a correctional facility.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Corrections is required to establish a process for notifying and allowing public participation in establishing work release and other community-based corrections facilities. The department is required to send notification and hold public hearings when three or fewer sites have been proposed for final consideration. An additional round of public notification and a public hearing must be conducted in the local community selected as the final proposed site.

Notification must be provided to newspapers of general circulation in the local communities and all local radio stations, television stations and cable networks. School districts, private schools, kindergartens, city and county libraries, and all other local government offices within a radius of one-half mile must be notified about the proposed facility siting. In addition, the department is required to provide notice to the local chamber of commerce, economic development agencies and any other local organizations that request notification.

The Department of Corrections is required to provide notification of the proposed siting to all residents within one-half mile radius of the proposed facility site.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.