HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1983
As Reported by House Committee On:
Appropriations
Title: An act relating to the criminal justice treatment account.
Brief Description: Concerning the criminal justice treatment account.
Sponsors: Representatives Simmons, Goodman, Reed and Davis.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Appropriations: 1/18/24, 1/24/24 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Revises the allowable uses of the Criminal Justice Treatment Account to include the provision of services to individuals for 180 days following graduation from drug court programs.
  • Removes expired provisions.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 30 members:Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Bergquist, Vice Chair; Gregerson, Vice Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Corry, Ranking Minority Member; Chambers, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Connors, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Couture, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Berg, Callan, Chandler, Chopp, Davis, Dye, Fitzgibbon, Harris, Lekanoff, Pollet, Riccelli, Rude, Ryu, Schmick, Senn, Simmons, Slatter, Springer, Stokesbary, Stonier, Tharinger and Wilcox.
Staff: Andy Toulon (786-7178).
Background:

Funds in the Criminal Justice Treatment Account (Account) may be expended for substance use disorder treatment and support services for offenders meeting certain criteria and for nonviolent offenders within a drug court program.  The funds may also be used for the administrative and overhead costs associated with the operation of a drug court.  During the 2021-23 and 2023-25 fiscal biennia, the use of funds has been temporarily broadened in the operating budgets to allow funds in the Account to be used for the provision of services to individuals for 180 days following graduation from drug court programs.  The Legislature may appropriate from the Account for municipal drug courts and increased treatment options.
Summary of Bill:

The Account is revised to allow funds in the Account to be used for the provision of services for 180 days following graduation from drug court programs beyond the 2023-25 fiscal biennium.  The authority for the Legislature to appropriate from the Account for municipal drug courts and increased treatment options is removed.  Expired provisions of the Account are removed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill makes permanent the allowability for a six-month ramp-down when someone successfully completes drug court.  The services can be individualized for each county and graduate and provide for a wide variety of supports that can make a critical difference in the participant's life.  These services are important in making sure recent drug court graduates do not lose the gains and positive life changes they have made while participating in a drug court.  The six-month ramp-down was started during the pandemic and has proven to be very successful, so it should be made permanent. 


Drug court participants move from incarceration to the community, achieving sobriety while pursuing work, education, and housing.  The programs help provide a foundation, but the foundation is fragile and still needs support.  Extending the opportunity for treatment and support services beyond graduation will reduce recidivism by providing support to graduates facing a barrier or crisis and build on the progress the graduates have made in the program.  Many of the individuals served by drug courts are parents so the bill will have an upstream impact on children and families.  The rest of the bill is technical and there are no costs associated with the bill.

 

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying:

Bob Cooper and Alison McPeek, Washington Association of Drug Courts; and Christina Mason.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.