BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to earned early release; amending RCW 9.92.151, 9.94A.150, and 70.48.210; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 9.92.151 and 1990 c 3 s 201 are each amended to read as follows:

The sentence of a prisoner confined in a county jail facility for a felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor conviction may be reduced by earned release credits in accordance with procedures that shall be developed and promulgated by the correctional agency having jurisdiction. The earned early release time shall be for good behavior and good performance as determined by the correctional agency having jurisdiction. Any program established pursuant to this section shall allow an offender to earn early release credits for presentence incarceration. The correctional agency shall not credit the offender with earned early release credits in advance of the offender actually earning the credits. In the case of an offender convicted of a serious violent offense or a sex offense that is a class A felony committed on or after July 1, 1990, robbery in the first or second degree, manslaughter in the first or second degree, assault in the second degree, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit these crimes, the aggregate earned early release time may not exceed fifteen percent of the sentence. In no other case may the aggregate earned early release time exceed one-third of the total sentence.

Sec. 2. RCW 9.94A.150 and 1992 c 145 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

No person serving a sentence imposed pursuant to this chapter and committed to the custody of the department shall leave the confines of the correctional facility or be released prior to the expiration of the sentence except as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise provided for in subsection (2) of this section, the term of the sentence of an offender committed to a correctional facility operated by the department, may be reduced by earned early release time in accordance with procedures that shall be developed and promulgated by the correctional agency having jurisdiction in which the offender is confined. The earned early release time shall be for good behavior and good performance, as determined by the correctional agency having jurisdiction. The correctional agency shall not credit the offender with earned early release credits in advance of the offender actually earning the credits. Any program established pursuant to this section shall allow an offender to earn early release credits for presentence incarceration. If an offender is transferred from a county jail to the department of corrections, the county jail facility shall certify to the department the amount of time spent in custody at the facility and the amount of earned early release time. In the case of an offender convicted of a serious violent offense or a sex offense that is a class A felony committed on or after July 1, 1990, robbery in the first or second degree, manslaughter in the first or second degree, assault in the second degree, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit these crimes, the aggregate earned early release time may not exceed fifteen percent of the sentence. In no other case shall the aggregate earned early release time exceed one-third of the total sentence;

(2) A person convicted of a sex offense or an offense categorized as a serious violent offense, assault in the second degree, assault of a child in the second degree, any crime against a person where it is determined in accordance with RCW 9.94A.125 that the defendant or an accomplice was armed with a deadly weapon at the time of commission, or any felony offense under chapter 69.50 or 69.52 RCW may become eligible, in accordance with a program developed by the department, for transfer to community custody status in lieu of earned early release time pursuant to subsection (1) of this section;

(3) An offender may leave a correctional facility pursuant to an authorized furlough or leave of absence. In addition, offenders may leave a correctional facility when in the custody of a corrections officer or officers;

(4) The governor, upon recommendation from the clemency and pardons board, may grant an extraordinary release for reasons of serious health problems, senility, advanced age, extraordinary meritorious acts, or other extraordinary circumstances;

(5) No more than the final six months of the sentence may be served in partial confinement designed to aid the offender in finding work and reestablishing him or herself in the community;

(6) The governor may pardon any offender;

(7) The department of corrections may release an offender from confinement any time within ten days before a release date calculated under this section; and

(8) An offender may leave a correctional facility prior to completion of his sentence if the sentence has been reduced as provided in RCW 9.94A.160.

Sec. 3. RCW 70.48.210 and 1990 c 3 s 203 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) All cities and counties are authorized to establish and maintain farms, camps, and work release programs and facilities, as well as special detention facilities. The facilities shall meet the requirements of chapter 70.48 RCW and any rules adopted thereunder.

(2) Farms and camps may be established either inside or outside the territorial limits of a city or county. A sentence of confinement in a city or county jail may include placement in a farm or camp. Unless directed otherwise by court order, the chief law enforcement officer or department of corrections, may transfer the prisoner to a farm or camp. The sentencing court, chief law enforcement officer, or department of corrections may not transfer to a farm or camp a greater number of prisoners than can be furnished with constructive employment and can be reasonably accommodated.

(3) The city or county may establish a city or county work release program and housing facilities for the prisoners in the program. In such regard, factors such as employment conditions and the condition of jail facilities should be considered. When a work release program is established the following provisions apply:

(a) A person convicted of a felony and placed in a city or county jail is eligible for the work release program. A person sentenced to a city or county jail is eligible for the work release program. The program may be used as a condition of probation for a criminal offense. Good conduct is a condition of participation in the program.

(b) The court may permit a person who is currently, regularly employed to continue his or her employment. The chief law enforcement officer or department of corrections shall make all necessary arrangements if possible. The court may authorize the person to seek suitable employment and may authorize the chief law enforcement officer or department of corrections to make reasonable efforts to find suitable employment for the person. A person participating in the work release program may not work in an establishment where there is a labor dispute.

(c) The work release prisoner shall be confined in a work release facility or jail unless authorized to be absent from the facility for program-related purposes, unless the court directs otherwise.

(d) Each work release prisoner's earnings may be collected by the chief law enforcement officer or a designee. The chief law enforcement officer or a designee may deduct from the earnings moneys for the payments for the prisoner's board, personal expenses inside and outside the jail, a share of the administrative expenses of this section, court-ordered victim compensation, and court-ordered restitution. Support payments for the prisoner's dependents, if any, shall be made as directed by the court. With the prisoner's consent, the remaining funds may be used to pay the prisoner's preexisting debts. Any remaining balance shall be returned to the prisoner.

(e) The prisoner's sentence may be reduced by earned early release time in accordance with procedures that shall be developed and promulgated by the work release facility. The earned early release time shall be for good behavior and good performance as determined by the facility. The facility shall not credit the offender with earned early release credits in advance of the offender actually earning the credits. In the case of an offender convicted of a serious violent offense or a sex offense that is a class A felony committed on or after July 1, 1990, robbery in the first or second degree, manslaughter in the first or second degree, assault in the second degree, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit these crimes, the aggregate earned early release time may not exceed fifteen percent of the sentence. In no other case may the aggregate earned early release time exceed one-third of the total sentence.

(f) If the work release prisoner violates the conditions of custody or employment, the prisoner shall be returned to the sentencing court. The sentencing court may require the prisoner to spend the remainder of the sentence in actual confinement and may cancel any earned reduction of the sentence.

(4) A special detention facility may be operated by a noncorrectional agency or by noncorrectional personnel by contract with the governing unit. The employees shall meet the standards of training and education established by the criminal justice training commission as authorized by RCW 43.101.080. The special detention facility may use combinations of features including, but not limited to, low-security or honor prisoner status, work farm, work release, community review, prisoner facility maintenance and food preparation, training programs, or alcohol or drug rehabilitation programs. Special detention facilities may establish a reasonable fee schedule to cover the cost of facility housing and programs. The schedule shall be on a sliding basis that reflects the person's ability to pay.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act applies to crimes committed on or after the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.