SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1345
As of March 9, 2023
Title: An act relating to contribution to costs of privileges by incarcerated individuals.
Brief Description: Concerning the contribution to costs of privileges by incarcerated individuals.
Sponsors: Representatives Farivar, Senn, Simmons, Bateman, Lekanoff, Pollet, Fosse and Davis; by request of Department of Corrections.
Brief History: Passed House: 2/13/23, 64-32.
Committee Activity: Human Services: 3/13/23.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Removes extended family visitation from the list of Department of Corrections (DOC) capital costs of providing privileges that inmates must contribute to.
  • Provides that DOC may require inmates to contribute to the cost of specific privileges designated by DOC to ensure that inmates contribute a portion of DOC's costs directly associated with providing designated privileges.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Staff: Kelsey-anne Fung (786-7479)
Background:

Cost of Privileges.  All inmates are required to contribute to the cost of privileges to the greatest extent practical. Privileges are any goods or services, education or work programs, or earned early release days that are directly linked to an inmate's good conduct and good performance, and do not include any goods or services the Department of Corrections (DOC) is required to provide under the state or federal Constitution or under state or federal law. DOC must establish standards by which inmates contribute towards DOC's capital costs of providing privileges, including television cable access, extended family visitation, weight lifting, and other recreational sports equipment and supplies. The standards must also require inmates to contribute to a significant portion of DOC's operating costs directly associated with providing privileges, including staff and supplies. The standards must consider the assets available to the inmates and the cost of administering compliance with the contribution requirements, and must promote a responsible work ethnic.

 

Inmate contributions may be in the form of individual user fees assessed against an inmate's institution account, deductions from an inmate's gross wages or gratuities, or an inmate's collective contributions to the institutional welfare/betterment fund. DOC must make every effort to maximize individual inmate contributions to payment for privileges. 

 

Extended Family Visitation. An extended family visit is an authorized visit between an inmate and member of their immediate family that occurs in a private visiting unit located at the correctional facility where the inmate is confined. DOC has internal policies governing its extended family visitation program to support building sustainable relationships important to reentry and provide an incentive for those serving long-term sentences to engage in positive behavioral choices. The policies include eligibility criteria for an inmate to participate in an extended family visit, such as custody level, time served, infraction history, participation in programming, and criminal history. DOC charges $15 per night for each extended family visit, and visits are scheduled for no less than 20 hours and no more than 48 hours. 
Summary of Bill:

DOC may require inmates to contribute to the cost of specific privileges designated by DOC in accordance with standards that DOC must develop and adopt to ensure that inmates contribute a portion of DOC's costs directly associated with providing designated privileges. 

 

Extended family visitation is removed from the list of DOC's capital costs of providing privileges that inmates are required to contribute to.

 

The term significant is removed. Rather than contribute a significant portion, inmates must contribute a portion of DOC's operating costs directly associated with providing privileges, including staff and supplies.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.