Executive Policy & Legislative Affairs
The Washington State Department of Corrections’ Office of Executive Policy houses the unique agency areas of legislative policy and agency policy.
Legislative policy is responsible for reviewing, monitoring, and tracking legislative proposals that are crafted and considered by the Washington State Legislature. Further responsibilities include liaison work with the elected member of the state legislature as well as staff, and reconciliation of Revised Code of Washington (RCW) with Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and agency policy.
Agency policy is responsible for the development and coordination of department policy. Policies promote professionalism, efficiency, and consistency to achieve the purpose and philosophy of the agency. Policies and the respective policy-related forms can be accessed here. The policy office also supports facilities through the review of operational memorandum and work release procedures. Memorandum and procedures are facility specific instructions that identify how a policy will be implemented.
Legislative Session
Testimony
The following is agency-issued testimony during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Bills
The following is a list of 2019 legislative bills that stand in support of the agency’s mission, and of which the agency is supportive.
HB 1041 | Promoting successful reentry by modifying the process for obtaining certificates of discharge and vacating conviction records.
Modifies the process for obtaining a certificate of discharge for felony convictions & expands eligibility criteria for vacating criminal convictions. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1041.
HB 1485 (Companion SB 5013) | Concerning Appointment of Religious Coordinators.
Changes the employee title “chaplain” to “religious coordinator” at DOC institutions. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1485 and SB 5013.
HB 1495 | Establishing the joint legislative task force on criminal sentencing.
This bill creates a legislative task force on criminal sentencing. The Department of Corrections is included as a member on the task force. Task force is required to develop recommendations that (a) reduce complexity and errors, (b) improve effectiveness, and (c) promote/improve public safety. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1495.
SB 5076 | Allowing persons complying with conditions of community custody to be registered to vote.
Restores voting rights to individuals upon serving a sentence of confinement in the custody of the Department of Corrections. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5076.
SB 5120 | Contracting with private correctional facilities for the transfer or placement of offenders.
Prohibits the state from contracting with a private entity for the operation of a correctional facility or the incarceration of persons in the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC). Exempts state work release centers that provide separate care or special treatment, operated in whole or in part by private contractors, or contracts for ancillary services. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5120.
SB 5848 | Concerning individuals under the Department of Corrections' jurisdiction.
Requires multiple terms of community custody run concurrent, unless the courts expressly order terms be served consecutively, regardless of how the term of confinement is ordered. See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5848.