Executive Policy & Legislative Relations
The Washington State Department of Corrections’ Office of Executive Policy houses the unique agency area of legislative 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.
Legislative Session
The Washington State Legislature is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the Washington House of Representatives, with 98 representatives, and the Washington State Senate, with 49 senators plus the Lieutenant Governor acting as President. The state is divided into 49 legislative districts, each of which elect one senator and two representatives.
The Legislature annually begins the legislative session on the second Monday in January. In odd-numbered years, when the state budget is debated upon, the State Legislature meets for 105 days, and in even-numbered years for 60 days. The Governor of Washington, if necessary, can call legislators for a special session (30-day period) at any time in the year. Legislators can also call themselves into special session by a two-thirds vote by both the House of Representatives and the State Senate.
Legislative Presentations & Documents
The following represents links to legislative committees at which agency-issued presentations and documents were provided.
- Department of Corrections Overview – Correctional Issues
- Solitary Confinement in Washington's State and Local Correctional and Detention Facilities – Restrictive Housing
- Information Sheets
2021 Legislative Priorities
The Department of Corrections, along with all state agencies, was required to provide options to the Office of Financial Management for a 15% budget reduction. The following document describes our policy priorities for the 2021 legislative session, and lists out both those items that the department is planning to propose as agency request legislation or would be open to partnering on legislation, and items where to achieve the budget savings the department would be in support of legislation proposed by others.
- 2021 Budget Policy Strategy (pdf)
- Using the Google Chrome web browser, please visit https://abr.ofm.wa.gov/ to view the Department of Corrections Agency Budget Requests. Select the 2021-23 Regular Budget Session, then select Department of Corrections.
Bills – Agency Support
The following is a list of 2021 legislative bills that stand in support of the agency’s mission, and of which the agency is supportive.
- HB 1044 | Creating prison to postsecondary education pathways.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1044. - HB 1078 | Restoring voter eligibility for all persons convicted of a felony offense who are not in total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1078. - HB 1126 | Community Custody Tolling.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1126. - HB 1282 | Concerning allowed earned time for certain offenses.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on HB 1282. - SB 5086 | Restoring voter eligibility for all persons convicted of a felony offense who are not in total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5086. - SB 5117 | Concerning rental vouchers to eligible offenders.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5117. - SB 5121 | Expanding eligibility for the graduated reentry program.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5121. - HB 5245 | Concerning the safety of crime victims.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5245. - HB 5285 | Concerning allowed earned time for certain offenses.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5285. - HB 5304 | Providing reentry services to persons releasing from state and local institutions.
See the Washington State Legislature's website for more information on SB 5304.
Bills – Agency Impact
View the list of 2022 legislative bills that may impact the agency’s operations.
- Bills that may Impact the Washington State Department of Corrections (pdf) (As of 01/26/2022)
Resources
Policies
Laws & Regulations
Publications & Job Aids
Information Sheets
- Agency Requested Legislation Proposals (pdf)
- Capital Planning & Development: Investing in Aging Facilities & Infrastructure (pdf)
- Health Care Services: Improve Lives and Continuity of Care (pdf)
- iCOACH and Wrap-Around Reentry Services (pdf)
- Prison Safety (pdf)
Resource Links
- Bill Status Report
- Bills of Impact(pdf)
- House Introductions(pdf)
- Senate Introductions(pdf)
- Session Cutoff Calendar
- Washington State Legislatures
Bills by Topic
- Clemency and Pardons Board
- Correctional Facilities and Jails
- Corrections, Department
- Crimes
- Criminal Offenders
- Reentry Council, Statewide
- Sex Offenses and Offenders
Legislative Committees
- House Appropriations
- House Public Safety
- Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation
- Senate Law & Justice
- Ways & Means
Legislative Presentations & Documents
- Department of Corrections Overview – Correctional Issues
- Solitary Confinement in Washington's State and Local Correctional and Detention Facilities – Restrictive Housing