(1) On July 1, 1986, the board of prison terms and paroles shall be redesignated as the indeterminate sentence review board. The board's membership shall be reduced as follows: On July 1, 1986, and on July 1st of each year until 1998, the number of board members shall be reduced in a manner commensurate with the board's remaining workload as determined by the office of financial management based upon its population forecast for the indeterminate sentencing system and in conjunction with the budget process. To meet the statutory obligations of the indeterminate sentence review board, the number of board members shall not be reduced to fewer than three members, although the office of financial management may designate some or all members as part-time members and specify the extent to which they shall be less than full-time members. Any reduction shall take place by the expiration, on that date, of the term or terms having the least time left to serve.
(2) After July 1, 1984, the board shall continue its functions with respect to persons convicted of crimes committed prior to July 1, 1984, and committed to the department of corrections. When making decisions on duration of confinement, including those relating to persons committed under a mandatory life sentence, and parole release under RCW
9.95.100 and
9.95.110, the board shall consider the purposes, standards, and sentencing ranges under chapter
9.94A RCW of the sentencing reform act and the minimum term recommendations of the sentencing judge and prosecuting attorney, and shall attempt to make decisions reasonably consistent with those ranges, standards, purposes, and recommendations: PROVIDED, That the board and its successors shall give adequate written reasons whenever a minimum term or parole release decision is made which is outside the sentencing ranges under chapter
9.94A RCW of the sentencing reform act. In making such decisions, the board and its successors shall consider the different charging and disposition practices under the indeterminate sentencing system.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, the indeterminate sentence review board shall give public safety considerations the highest priority when making all discretionary decisions on the remaining indeterminate population regarding the ability for parole, parole release, and conditions of parole.