Z-140                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5551

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senators Wojahn, Deccio and Stratton; by request of Department of Corrections

Read first time 2/4/87 and referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

AN ACT Relating to rights of prisoners; amending RCW 10.77.170, 71.05.350, and 72.02.100; and repealing RCW 72.02.110.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Section 2, chapter 171, Laws of 1971 ex. sess., section 80, chapter 136, Laws of 1981 and RCW 72.02.110 are each repealed.

        Sec. 2.  Section 17, chapter 117, Laws of 1973 1st ex. sess. and RCW 10.77.170 are each amended to read as follows:

          As funds are available, the secretary may provide payment to a person conditionally released pursuant to RCW 10.77.150, consistent with the provisions of RCW 72.02.100 ((and 72.02.110)), and may adopt rules and regulations to do so.

        Sec. 3.  Section 40, chapter 142, Laws of 1973 1st ex. sess. and RCW 71.05.350 are each amended to read as follows:

          No indigent patient shall be conditionally released or discharged from involuntary treatment without suitable clothing, and the superintendent of a state hospital shall furnish the same, together with such sum of money as he shall deem necessary for the immediate welfare of the patient.  Such sum of money shall be the same as the amount required by RCW 72.02.100 to be provided to persons in need being released from correctional institutions.  As funds are available, the secretary may provide payment to indigent persons conditionally released pursuant to this chapter consistent with the optional provisions of RCW 72.02.100 ((and 72.02.110)), and may adopt rules and regulations to do so.

        Sec. 4.  Section 1, chapter 171, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. and RCW 72.02.100 are each amended to read as follows:

          Any person serving a sentence for a term of confinement in a state correctional facility for convicted felons, pursuant to court commitment, who is thereafter released upon an order of parole of the state board of prison terms and paroles, or who is discharged from custody upon expiration of sentence, or who is ordered discharged from custody by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, shall be entitled to retain his earnings from labor or employment while in confinement and shall be supplied by the superintendent of the state correctional facility with suitable and presentable clothing, the sum of forty dollars for subsistence, and transportation by the least expensive method of public transportation not to exceed the cost of one hundred dollars to his place of residence or the place designated in his parole plan, or to the place from which committed if such person is being discharged on expiration of sentence, or discharged from custody by a court of appropriate jurisdiction:  PROVIDED, That up to sixty additional dollars may be made available to the parolee for necessary personal and living expenses upon application to and approval by such person's parole officer.  If in the opinion of the superintendent suitable arrangements have been made to provide the person to be released with suitable clothing and/or the expenses of transportation, the superintendent may consent to such arrangement.  If the superintendent has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be released has ample funds, with the exception of earnings from labor or employment while in confinement, to assume the expenses of clothing, transportation, or the expenses for which payments made pursuant to ((RCW 72.02.100 or 72.02.110)) this section or any one or more of such expenses, the person released shall be required to assume such expenses.