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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.

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.

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.

Bills – Agency Impact

View the list of 2022 legislative bills that may impact the agency’s operations.

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Resources

Policies

Laws & Regulations

Publications & Job Aids

Information Sheets

Resource Links

Bills by Topic

Legislative Committees

Legislative Presentations & Documents

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