HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2344

                      As Passed House:

                      February 8, 2000

Title:  An act relating to community corrections caseload forecasting.

Brief Description:  Authorizing the caseload forecast council to forecast community corrections caseloads.

Sponsors:  Representatives Huff, McIntire, Linville, Alexander, Kenney and Parlette; by request of Caseload Forecast Council.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  1/20/00, 1/31/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/8/00, 97-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$The Caseload Forecast Council will prepare the community supervision forecast.

$If funding for the bill is not provided by June 30, 2000, in the omnibus appropriations act, the bill is null and void.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 29 members:  Representatives Huff, Republican Co-Chair; H. Sommers, Democratic Co-Chair; Barlean, Republican Vice Chair; Doumit, Democratic Vice Chair; D. Schmidt, Republican Vice Chair; Alexander; Benson; Boldt; Cody; Crouse; Gombosky; Grant; Kagi; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McIntire; Mulliken; Parlette; Regala; Rockefeller; Ruderman; Sullivan; Tokuda and Wensman.

Staff:  Dave Johnson (786-7154).

Background:

The Caseload Forecast Council (CFC) was created in 1997.  The council consists of appointees from both the legislative and executive branches and employs a staff of five persons.

The council prepares caseload forecasts for a number of entitlement programs.  The forecasts the council is currently responsible for are set forth in statute and include, "...public assistance programs, state correctional institutions, state institutions for juvenile offenders, the common school system, long-term care, medical assistance, foster care, and adoption support."

The forecast for the number of offenders supervised by the Department of Corrections is currently prepared, on a biennial basis, by the Department of Corrections.  The total appropriation for the community corrections program within the Department of Corrections in the 1999-2001 biennium is $120.1 million.

Summary of Bill:

The Caseload Forecast Council will prepare the "state correctional noninstitutional supervision" forecast.

If funding for the bill is not provided by June 30, 2000, in the omnibus appropriations act, the bill is null and void.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on July 1, 2000.  However, the bill is null and void unless funded in the budget.

Testimony For:  This would help improve the accuracy of the forecast and is supported by both the Department of Corrections and the Caseload Forecast Council.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Dave Fallen, Caseload Forecast Council; and Margaret VonHeeder, Department of Corrections.