BILL REQ. #:  H-3099.3 

Read first time 01/15/14.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety.

     AN ACT Relating to earned second chances; amending RCW 9.94A.728, 9.94A.533, and 9.94A.570; adding a new section to chapter 9.94A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 9.95 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that new scientific evidence and economic realities cast doubt on the wisdom of imposing mandatory decades long sentences on offenders, leaving no hope for release or incentive to reform. Studies show that long incarcerations, with no opportunity for review, prevent offenders from maintaining the ties to society which they need to successfully reenter society and build lives free from criminal behavior. Additionally, many offenders are incarcerated long past the time they pose a risk to public safety. Senior citizens are extraordinarily expensive inmates and many pose little risk of recidivism. Given the capacity and budget crises in the department of corrections, providing an opportunity for such offenders to be released makes economic sense. Inflexible sentences cost Washingtonians huge sums of money, without providing a commensurate increase in public safety. The legislature finds that providing an opportunity for review and release of offenders who no longer pose a risk of criminality benefits society, the reformed offenders, public safety and the public treasury.

Sec. 2   RCW 9.94A.728 and 2010 c 224 s 6 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) An offender may earn early release time as authorized by RCW 9.94A.729;
     (2) 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;
     (3)(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 and is expected to require costly care or treatment;
     (ii) The offender poses a low risk to the community because he or she is currently physically incapacitated due to age or the medical condition or is expected to be so at the time of release; and
     (iii) It is expected that 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, in which case, an alternative type of monitoring shall be utilized. 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.
     (e) Persistent offenders are not eligible for extraordinary medical placement;
     (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 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 or no more than the final twelve months of the offender's term of confinement may be served in partial confinement as part of the parenting program in RCW 9.94A.6551. This is in addition to that period of earned early release time that may be exchanged for partial confinement pursuant to RCW 9.94A.729(5)(d);
     (6) The governor may pardon any offender;
     (7) The department may release an offender from confinement any time within ten days before a release date calculated under this section;
     (8) 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))
     (9) An offender may leave a correctional facility subject to the authorization of the indeterminate sentence review board, as described in section 3 of this act; 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.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 9.94A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any person who was sentenced under this chapter may petition the indeterminate sentence review board for early release after serving fifteen years, provided the current sentence was not imposed under RCW 9.94A.507.
     (2) Before the hearing described in subsection (3) of this section, the department shall conduct, and the offender shall participate in, an examination of the offender, incorporating methodologies that are recognized by experts in the prediction of criminal dangerousness, and including a prediction of the probability that the offender will engage in violent offenses if released.
     (3) The board shall conduct a hearing to determine whether it is more likely than not that the person will commit a new violent offense, as defined in RCW 9.94A.030, if released on conditions set by the board. The board shall order the person released, under such affirmative and other conditions as the board determines appropriate, unless the board determines that, despite such conditions, it is more likely than not that the person will commit a new violent offense if released. Public safety considerations shall be given the highest priority in determinations made under this section. The board may also consider the person's efforts towards rehabilitation, the person's completion of a basic education program and skills for employment, and the availability of community or family support for the person upon release.
     (4) If the board does not order the offender released, the board shall establish a new minimum term not to exceed an additional five years. The board shall review the person again not less than ninety days prior to the expiration of the new minimum term.
     (5) At such hearing the convicted person shall be present and entitled to be heard and may present evidence and witnesses in his or her behalf. If the board determines that an offender is not able to adequately represent himself or herself, the board shall cause the appointment of an attorney to represent the offender to be paid for at state expense.
     (6) In a hearing conducted under subsection (3) of this section, the board shall provide opportunities for the victims of any crimes for which the offender has been convicted to present statements, as set forth in RCW 7.69.032. The procedures for victim input shall be developed by rule. To facilitate victim involvement, county prosecutor's offices shall ensure that any victim impact statements and known contact information for victims of record are forwarded as part of the judgment and sentence.
     (7) A person released by the board under this section is subject to community custody for a term determined by the board, not to exceed five years from the date of release.
     (8) A decision of the board under this section shall be final and not subject to appeal or review, except that this section shall not limit or circumscribe the powers of the governor to commute the sentence of, or grant a pardon to, any convicted person.
     (9) The board shall adopt rules governing the procedures described in this section, including criteria for release, timelines for issuance of decisions, and prioritization of petitions.

Sec. 4   RCW 9.94A.533 and 2013 c 270 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The provisions of this section apply to the standard sentence ranges determined by RCW 9.94A.510 or 9.94A.517.
     (2) For persons convicted of the anticipatory offenses of criminal attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy under chapter 9A.28 RCW, the standard sentence range is determined by locating the sentencing grid sentence range defined by the appropriate offender score and the seriousness level of the completed crime, and multiplying the range by seventy-five percent.
     (3) The following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range for felony crimes committed after July 23, 1995, if the offender or an accomplice was armed with a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 and the offender is being sentenced for one of the crimes listed in this subsection as eligible for any firearm enhancements based on the classification of the completed felony crime. If the offender is being sentenced for more than one offense, the firearm enhancement or enhancements must be added to the total period of confinement for all offenses, regardless of which underlying offense is subject to a firearm enhancement. If the offender or an accomplice was armed with a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 and the offender is being sentenced for an anticipatory offense under chapter 9A.28 RCW to commit one of the crimes listed in this subsection as eligible for any firearm enhancements, the following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range determined under subsection (2) of this section based on the felony crime of conviction as classified under RCW 9A.28.020:
     (a) Five years for any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of at least twenty years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (b) Three years for any felony defined under any law as a class B felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of ten years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (c) Eighteen months for any felony defined under any law as a class C felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of five years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (d) If the offender is being sentenced for any firearm enhancements under (a), (b), and/or (c) of this subsection and the offender has previously been sentenced for any deadly weapon enhancements after July 23, 1995, under (a), (b), and/or (c) of this subsection or subsection (4)(a), (b), and/or (c) of this section, or both, all firearm enhancements under this subsection shall be twice the amount of the enhancement listed;
     (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except section 3 of this act, all firearm enhancements under this section are mandatory, shall be served in total confinement, and shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions, including other firearm or deadly weapon enhancements, for all offenses sentenced under this chapter. However, whether or not a mandatory minimum term has expired, an offender serving a sentence under this subsection may be granted an extraordinary medical placement when authorized under RCW 9.94A.728(3);
     (f) The firearm enhancements in this section shall apply to all felony crimes except the following: Possession of a machine gun, possessing a stolen firearm, drive-by shooting, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first and second degree, and use of a machine gun in a felony;
     (g) If the standard sentence range under this section exceeds the statutory maximum sentence for the offense, the statutory maximum sentence shall be the presumptive sentence unless the offender is a persistent offender. If the addition of a firearm enhancement increases the sentence so that it would exceed the statutory maximum for the offense, the portion of the sentence representing the enhancement may not be reduced.
     (4) The following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range for felony crimes committed after July 23, 1995, if the offender or an accomplice was armed with a deadly weapon other than a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 and the offender is being sentenced for one of the crimes listed in this subsection as eligible for any deadly weapon enhancements based on the classification of the completed felony crime. If the offender is being sentenced for more than one offense, the deadly weapon enhancement or enhancements must be added to the total period of confinement for all offenses, regardless of which underlying offense is subject to a deadly weapon enhancement. If the offender or an accomplice was armed with a deadly weapon other than a firearm as defined in RCW 9.41.010 and the offender is being sentenced for an anticipatory offense under chapter 9A.28 RCW to commit one of the crimes listed in this subsection as eligible for any deadly weapon enhancements, the following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range determined under subsection (2) of this section based on the felony crime of conviction as classified under RCW 9A.28.020:
     (a) Two years for any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of at least twenty years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (b) One year for any felony defined under any law as a class B felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of ten years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (c) Six months for any felony defined under any law as a class C felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of five years, or both, and not covered under (f) of this subsection;
     (d) If the offender is being sentenced under (a), (b), and/or (c) of this subsection for any deadly weapon enhancements and the offender has previously been sentenced for any deadly weapon enhancements after July 23, 1995, under (a), (b), and/or (c) of this subsection or subsection (3)(a), (b), and/or (c) of this section, or both, all deadly weapon enhancements under this subsection shall be twice the amount of the enhancement listed;
     (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except section 3 of this act, all deadly weapon enhancements under this section are mandatory, shall be served in total confinement, and shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions, including other firearm or deadly weapon enhancements, for all offenses sentenced under this chapter. However, whether or not a mandatory minimum term has expired, an offender serving a sentence under this subsection may be granted an extraordinary medical placement when authorized under RCW 9.94A.728(3);
     (f) The deadly weapon enhancements in this section shall apply to all felony crimes except the following: Possession of a machine gun, possessing a stolen firearm, drive-by shooting, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first and second degree, and use of a machine gun in a felony;
     (g) If the standard sentence range under this section exceeds the statutory maximum sentence for the offense, the statutory maximum sentence shall be the presumptive sentence unless the offender is a persistent offender. If the addition of a deadly weapon enhancement increases the sentence so that it would exceed the statutory maximum for the offense, the portion of the sentence representing the enhancement may not be reduced.
     (5) The following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range if the offender or an accomplice committed the offense while in a county jail or state correctional facility and the offender is being sentenced for one of the crimes listed in this subsection. If the offender or an accomplice committed one of the crimes listed in this subsection while in a county jail or state correctional facility, and the offender is being sentenced for an anticipatory offense under chapter 9A.28 RCW to commit one of the crimes listed in this subsection, the following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range determined under subsection (2) of this section:
     (a) Eighteen months for offenses committed under RCW 69.50.401(2) (a) or (b) or 69.50.410;
     (b) Fifteen months for offenses committed under RCW 69.50.401(2) (c), (d), or (e);
     (c) Twelve months for offenses committed under RCW 69.50.4013.
     For the purposes of this subsection, all of the real property of a state correctional facility or county jail shall be deemed to be part of that facility or county jail.
     (6) An additional twenty-four months shall be added to the standard sentence range for any ranked offense involving a violation of chapter 69.50 RCW if the offense was also a violation of RCW 69.50.435 or 9.94A.827. All enhancements under this subsection shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions, for all offenses sentenced under this chapter.
     (7) An additional two years shall be added to the standard sentence range for vehicular homicide committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.502 for each prior offense as defined in RCW 46.61.5055. All enhancements under this subsection shall be mandatory, shall be served in total confinement, and shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions.
     (8)(a) The following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range for felony crimes committed on or after July 1, 2006, if the offense was committed with sexual motivation, as that term is defined in RCW 9.94A.030. If the offender is being sentenced for more than one offense, the sexual motivation enhancement must be added to the total period of total confinement for all offenses, regardless of which underlying offense is subject to a sexual motivation enhancement. If the offender committed the offense with sexual motivation and the offender is being sentenced for an anticipatory offense under chapter 9A.28 RCW, the following additional times shall be added to the standard sentence range determined under subsection (2) of this section based on the felony crime of conviction as classified under RCW 9A.28.020:
     (i) Two years for any felony defined under the law as a class A felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of at least twenty years, or both;
     (ii) Eighteen months for any felony defined under any law as a class B felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of ten years, or both;
     (iii) One year for any felony defined under any law as a class C felony or with a statutory maximum sentence of five years, or both;
     (iv) If the offender is being sentenced for any sexual motivation enhancements under (a)(i), (ii), and/or (iii) of this subsection and the offender has previously been sentenced for any sexual motivation enhancements on or after July 1, 2006, under (a)(i), (ii), and/or (iii) of this subsection, all sexual motivation enhancements under this subsection shall be twice the amount of the enhancement listed;
     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except section 3 of this act, all sexual motivation enhancements under this subsection are mandatory, shall be served in total confinement, and shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions, including other sexual motivation enhancements, for all offenses sentenced under this chapter. However, whether or not a mandatory minimum term has expired, an offender serving a sentence under this subsection may be granted an extraordinary medical placement when authorized under RCW 9.94A.728(3);
     (c) The sexual motivation enhancements in this subsection apply to all felony crimes;
     (d) If the standard sentence range under this subsection exceeds the statutory maximum sentence for the offense, the statutory maximum sentence shall be the presumptive sentence unless the offender is a persistent offender. If the addition of a sexual motivation enhancement increases the sentence so that it would exceed the statutory maximum for the offense, the portion of the sentence representing the enhancement may not be reduced;
     (e) The portion of the total confinement sentence which the offender must serve under this subsection shall be calculated before any earned early release time is credited to the offender;
     (f) Nothing in this subsection prevents a sentencing court from imposing a sentence outside the standard sentence range pursuant to RCW 9.94A.535.
     (9) An additional one-year enhancement shall be added to the standard sentence range for the felony crimes of RCW 9A.44.073, 9A.44.076, 9A.44.079, 9A.44.083, 9A.44.086, or 9A.44.089 committed on or after July 22, 2007, if the offender engaged, agreed, or offered to engage the victim in the sexual conduct in return for a fee. If the offender is being sentenced for more than one offense, the one-year enhancement must be added to the total period of total confinement for all offenses, regardless of which underlying offense is subject to the enhancement. If the offender is being sentenced for an anticipatory offense for the felony crimes of RCW 9A.44.073, 9A.44.076, 9A.44.079, 9A.44.083, 9A.44.086, or 9A.44.089, and the offender attempted, solicited another, or conspired to engage, agree, or offer to engage the victim in the sexual conduct in return for a fee, an additional one-year enhancement shall be added to the standard sentence range determined under subsection (2) of this section. For purposes of this subsection, "sexual conduct" means sexual intercourse or sexual contact, both as defined in chapter 9A.44 RCW.
     (10)(a) For a person age eighteen or older convicted of any criminal street gang-related felony offense for which the person compensated, threatened, or solicited a minor in order to involve the minor in the commission of the felony offense, the standard sentence range is determined by locating the sentencing grid sentence range defined by the appropriate offender score and the seriousness level of the completed crime, and multiplying the range by one hundred twenty-five percent. If the standard sentence range under this subsection exceeds the statutory maximum sentence for the offense, the statutory maximum sentence is the presumptive sentence unless the offender is a persistent offender.
     (b) This subsection does not apply to any criminal street gang-related felony offense for which involving a minor in the commission of the felony offense is an element of the offense.
     (c) The increased penalty specified in (a) of this subsection is unavailable in the event that the prosecution gives notice that it will seek an exceptional sentence based on an aggravating factor under RCW 9.94A.535.
     (11) An additional twelve months and one day shall be added to the standard sentence range for a conviction of attempting to elude a police vehicle as defined by RCW 46.61.024, if the conviction included a finding by special allegation of endangering one or more persons under RCW 9.94A.834.
     (12) An additional twelve months shall be added to the standard sentence range for an offense that is also a violation of RCW 9.94A.831.
     (13) An additional twelve months shall be added to the standard sentence range for vehicular homicide committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.520 or for vehicular assault committed while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.522, or for any felony driving under the influence (RCW 46.61.502(6)) or felony physical control under the influence (RCW 46.61.504(6)) for each child passenger under the age of sixteen who is an occupant in the defendant's vehicle. These enhancements shall be mandatory, shall be served in total confinement, and shall run consecutively to all other sentencing provisions. If the addition of a minor child enhancement increases the sentence so that it would exceed the statutory maximum for the offense, the portion of the sentence representing the enhancement may not be reduced.
     (14) An additional twelve months shall be added to the standard sentence range for an offense that is also a violation of RCW 9.94A.832.
     (15) An offender who receives a sentence enhancement under this section is eligible for early release as described in section 3 of this act after serving fifteen years, regardless of the length or number of sentence enhancements.

Sec. 5   RCW 9.94A.570 and 2000 c 28 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding the statutory maximum sentence or any other provision of this chapter, except section 3 of this act, a persistent offender shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement for life ((without the possibility of release)) or, when authorized by RCW 10.95.030 for the crime of aggravated murder in the first degree, sentenced to death. In addition, no offender subject to this section may be eligible for community custody, earned release time, furlough, home detention, partial confinement, work crew, work release, ((or any other form of release as defined under RCW 9.94A.728 (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), (8), or (9))) extraordinary medical placement, or any other form of authorized leave from a correctional facility while not in the direct custody of a corrections officer or officers, except: (1) In the case of an offender in need of emergency medical treatment; (2) as authorized by section 3 of this act; or (((2))) (3) for the purpose of commitment to an inpatient treatment facility in the case of an offender convicted of the crime of rape in the first degree.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 9.95 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever the board or a community corrections officer of this state has reason to believe an offender released under section 3 of this act has violated a condition of community custody or the laws of this state, any community corrections officer may arrest or cause the arrest and detention of the offender pending a determination by the board whether sanctions should be imposed. The community corrections officer shall report all facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violation to the board, with recommendations.
     (2) If the board or the department causes the arrest or detention of an offender for a violation that does not amount to a new crime and the offender is arrested or detained by local law enforcement or in a local jail, the board or department, whichever caused the arrest or detention, shall be financially responsible for local costs. Jail bed costs shall be allocated at the rate established under RCW 9.94A.740.
     (3) If an offender released by the board under RCW 9.95.420 is accused of violating any condition or requirement of community custody, he or she is entitled to a hearing before the board or a designee of the board prior to the imposition of sanctions. The hearing shall be considered as offender disciplinary proceedings and shall not be subject to chapter 34.05 RCW. The board shall develop hearing procedures and a structure of graduated sanctions consistent with the hearing procedures and graduated sanctions developed pursuant to RCW 9.94A.737. The board may suspend the offender's release to community custody and confine the offender in a correctional institution owned, operated by, or operated under contract with the state prior to the hearing unless the offender has been arrested and confined for a new criminal offense.
     (4) Following the hearing specified in subsection (3) of this section, the board may impose sanctions such as work release, home detention with electronic monitoring, work crew, community restitution, inpatient treatment, daily reporting, curfew, educational or counseling sessions, supervision enhanced through electronic monitoring, or any other sanctions available in the community, or may suspend the release and sanction up to sixty days confinement in a local correctional facility for each violation whenever an offender released by the board under section 3 of this act violates any condition or requirement of community custody.
     (5) The hearing procedures required under subsection (3) of this section shall be developed by rule and include the provisions of RCW 9.95.435 (4) through (6).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   The indeterminate sentence review board and department of corrections may adopt rules to implement this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Sections 2 and 3 of this act apply retroactively to all eligible offenders incarcerated on the effective date of this section, regardless of the date of the offender's underlying offense.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   This act does not create any expectation that an offender will be released before the end of his or her sentence, and offenders have no reason to conclude that early release as described in section 3 of this act is an entitlement or creates any liberty interest.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10   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.