BILL REQ. #:  S-0475.2 

Read first time 01/20/09.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to the release and supervision of offenders based on risk assessments; amending RCW 9.94A.501, and 9.94A.728; amending 2008 c 231 s 6 (uncodified); repealing 2008 c 231 s 60 (uncodified); and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 9.94A.501 and 2008 c 231 s 24 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) When the department performs a risk assessment pursuant to RCW 9.94A.500, or to determine a person's conditions of supervision, the risk assessment shall classify the offender or a probationer sentenced in superior court into one of at least four risk categories.
     (2) The department shall supervise every offender sentenced to a term of community custody and every misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor probationer ordered by a superior court to probation under the supervision of the department pursuant to RCW 9.92.060, 9.95.204, or 9.95.210:
     (a) Whose risk assessment places that offender or probationer in one of the two highest risk categories; or
     (b) Regardless of the offender's or probationer's risk category if:
     (i) The offender's or probationer's current conviction is for:
     (A) A sex offense;
     (B) A violent offense;
     (C) A crime against persons as defined in RCW 9.94A.411;
     (D) A felony that is domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020;
     (E) A violation of RCW 9A.52.025 (residential burglary);
     (F) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.401 by manufacture or delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; or
     (G) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.406 (delivery of a controlled substance to a minor);
     (ii) The offender or probationer has a prior conviction for:
     (A) A sex offense;
     (B) A violent offense;
     (C) A crime against persons as defined in RCW 9.94A.411;
     (D) A felony that is domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020;
     (E) A violation of RCW 9A.52.025 (residential burglary);
     (F) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.401 by manufacture or delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; or
     (G) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.406 (delivery of a controlled substance to a minor);
     (iii) The conditions of the offender's community custody or the probationer's supervision include chemical dependency treatment;
     (iv) The offender was sentenced under RCW 9.94A.650 or 9.94A.670; or
     (v) The offender is subject to supervision pursuant to RCW 9.94A.745.
     (3) The department is not authorized to, and may not, supervise any offender sentenced to a term of community custody or any probationer unless the offender or probationer is one for whom supervision is required under subsection (2) of this section.
     (((4) This section expires July 1, 2010.))

Sec. 2   2008 c 231 s 6 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
     The existing sentencing reform act contains numerous provisions for supervision of different types of offenders. This duplication has caused great confusion for judges, lawyers, offenders, and the department of corrections, and often results in inaccurate sentences. The clarifications in this act are intended to support continued discussions by the sentencing guidelines commission with the courts and the criminal justice community to identify and propose policy changes that will further simplify and improve the sentencing reform act relating to the supervision of offenders. The sentencing guidelines commission shall submit policy change proposals to the legislature on or before December 1, 2008.
     Sections 7 through 58 of this act are intended to simplify the supervision provisions of the sentencing reform act and increase the uniformity of its application. These sections are not intended to either increase or decrease the authority of sentencing courts or the department relating to supervision, except for those provisions instructing the court to apply the provisions of the current community custody law to offenders sentenced after July 1, 2009, but who committed their crime prior to August 1, 2009, to the extent that such application is constitutionally permissible.
     This will effect a change for offenders who committed their crimes prior to the offender accountability act, chapter 196, Laws of 1999. These offenders will be ordered to a term of community custody rather than community placement or community supervision. To the extent constitutionally permissible, the terms of the offender's supervision will be as provided in current law. With the exception of this change, the legislature does not intend to make, and no provision of sections 7 through 58 of this act may be construed as making, a substantive change to the supervision provisions of the sentencing reform act.
     ((It is the intent of the legislature to reaffirm that section 3, chapter 379, Laws of 2003, expires July 1, 2010.))

Sec. 3   RCW 9.94A.728 and 2008 c 231 s 34 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 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 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 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, the administrator of a county jail facility shall certify to the department the amount of time spent in custody at the facility and the amount of earned release time. An offender who has been convicted of a felony committed after July 23, 1995, that involves any applicable deadly weapon enhancements under RCW 9.94A.533 (3) or (4), or both, shall not receive any good time credits or earned release time for that portion of his or her sentence that results from any deadly weapon enhancements.
     (a) 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, and before July 1, 2003, the aggregate earned release time may not exceed fifteen percent of the sentence. 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, 2003, the aggregate earned release time may not exceed ten percent of the sentence.
     (b)(i) In the case of an offender who qualifies under (b)(ii) of this subsection, the aggregate earned release time may not exceed fifty percent of the sentence.
     (ii) An offender is qualified to earn up to fifty percent of aggregate earned release time under this subsection (1)(b) if he or she:
     (A) Is classified in one of the two lowest risk categories under (b)(iii) of this subsection;
     (B) Is not confined pursuant to a sentence for:
     (I) A sex offense;
     (II) A violent offense;
     (III) A crime against persons as defined in RCW 9.94A.411;
     (IV) A felony that is domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020;
     (V) A violation of RCW 9A.52.025 (residential burglary);
     (VI) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.401 by manufacture or delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; or
     (VII) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.406 (delivery of a controlled substance to a minor);      (C) Has no prior conviction for:
     (I) A sex offense;
     (II) A violent offense;
     (III) A crime against persons as defined in RCW 9.94A.411;
     (IV) A felony that is domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020;
     (V) A violation of RCW 9A.52.025 (residential burglary);
     (VI) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.401 by manufacture or delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; or
     (VII) A violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.406 (delivery of a controlled substance to a minor);
     (D) Participates in programming or activities as directed by the offender's individual reentry plan as provided under RCW 72.09.270 to the extent that such programming or activities are made available by the department; and
     (E) Has not committed a new felony after July 22, 2007, while under community custody.
     (iii) For purposes of determining an offender's eligibility under this subsection (1)(b), the department shall perform a risk assessment of every offender committed to a correctional facility operated by the department who has no current or prior conviction for a sex offense, a violent offense, a crime against persons as defined in RCW 9.94A.411, a felony that is domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020, a violation of RCW 9A.52.025 (residential burglary), a violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.401 by manufacture or delivery or possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, or a violation of, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to violate, RCW 69.50.406 (delivery of a controlled substance to a minor). The department must classify each assessed offender in one of four risk categories between highest and lowest risk.
     (iv) The department shall recalculate the earned release time and reschedule the expected release dates for each qualified offender under this subsection (1)(b).
     (v) This subsection (1)(b) applies retroactively to eligible offenders serving terms of total confinement in a state correctional facility as of July 1, 2003.
     (((vi) This subsection (1)(b) does not apply to offenders convicted after July 1, 2010.))
     (c) In no other case shall the aggregate earned release time exceed one-third of the total sentence;
     (2)(a) A person convicted of a sex offense, a violent offense, any crime against persons under RCW 9.94A.411(2), or a 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 in lieu of earned release time pursuant to subsection (1) of this section;
     (b) The department shall, as a part of its program for release to the community in lieu of earned release, require the offender to propose a release plan that includes an approved residence and living arrangement. All offenders with community custody terms eligible for release to community custody in lieu of earned release shall provide an approved residence and living arrangement prior to release to the community;
     (c) The department may deny transfer to community custody in lieu of earned release time pursuant to subsection (1) of this section if the department determines an offender's release plan, including proposed residence location and living arrangements, may violate the conditions of the sentence or conditions of supervision, place the offender at risk to violate the conditions of the sentence, place the offender at risk to reoffend, or present a risk to victim safety or community safety. The department's authority under this section is independent of any court-ordered condition of sentence or statutory provision regarding conditions for community custody;
     (d) If the department denies transfer to community custody in lieu of earned early release pursuant to (c) of this subsection, the department may transfer an offender to partial confinement in lieu of earned early release up to three months. The three months in partial confinement is in addition to that portion of the offender's term of confinement that may be served in partial confinement as provided in this section;
     (e) An offender serving a term of confinement imposed under RCW 9.94A.670(5)(a) is not eligible for earned release credits under 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)(a) The secretary may authorize an extraordinary medical placement for an offender when all of the following conditions exist:
     (i) The offender has a medical condition that is serious enough to require costly care or treatment;
     (ii) The offender poses a low risk to the community because he or she is physically incapacitated due to age or the medical condition; and
     (iii) Granting the extraordinary medical placement will result in a cost savings to the state.
     (b) An offender sentenced to death or to life imprisonment without the possibility of release or parole is not eligible for an extraordinary medical placement.
     (c) The secretary shall require electronic monitoring for all offenders in extraordinary medical placement unless the electronic monitoring equipment interferes with the function of the offender's medical equipment or results in the loss of funding for the offender's medical care. The secretary shall specify who shall provide the monitoring services and the terms under which the monitoring shall be performed.
     (d) The secretary may revoke an extraordinary medical placement under this subsection at any time;
     (5) 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;
     (6) No more than the final six months of the offender's term of confinement may be served in partial confinement designed to aid the offender in finding work and reestablishing himself or herself in the community. This is in addition to that period of earned early release time that may be exchanged for partial confinement pursuant to subsection (2)(d) of this section;
     (7) The governor may pardon any offender;
     (8) The department may release an offender from confinement any time within ten days before a release date calculated under this section;
     (9) An offender may leave a correctional facility prior to completion of his or her sentence if the sentence has been reduced as provided in RCW 9.94A.870; and
     (10) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, an offender sentenced for a felony crime listed in RCW 9.94A.540 as subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of total confinement shall not be released from total confinement before the completion of the listed mandatory minimum sentence for that felony crime of conviction unless allowed under RCW 9.94A.540, however persistent offenders are not eligible for extraordinary medical placement.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   2008 c 231 s 60 (uncodified) is hereby repealed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act takes effect August 1, 2009.