WA People
BILL · 2015–16 SESSION

HB 2817: Corrections ombuds, creating

Creating an office of the corrections ombuds.

Summary

  • Creates the Office of the Corrections Ombuds (Ombuds Office) to monitor conditions of correctional facilities and the rights of inmates.
  • Requires the Governor to: (1) convene an Ombuds Advisory Council to support the functions of ombuds; and (2) designate, by a competitive bidding process, a nonprofit organization that will contract to operate the Ombuds Office.
  • Authorizes ombuds to initiate and attempt to resolve any complaint regarding decisions, administrative actions, inactions or omissions, policies, procedures and rules, or alleged violations of law by the Department of Corrections (DOC).
  • Requires ombuds to render decisions on complaints and communicate the decisions to complainants and the DOC.
  • Requires the DOC to permit ombuds to enter and inspect any correctional facilities, as well as access documents necessary for investigations of complaints.
  • Subjects the DOC to a: (1) $1,000 per-day fine for denying an ombuds access to any premises under the DOC's control; and (2) $1,000 fine for hindering the lawful actions of ombuds or willfully refusing to comply with the lawful demands of ombuds.

From the House Bill Report (HB 2817), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗

Did not pass Did not pass · died in committee
  1. IntroducedJan 21, 2016
  2. Out of committeestopped here
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. Governor
  6. Law
Prime sponsor
Luis Moscoso (D-1)
Introduced
January 21, 2016 in the House
Last action
March 10, 2016
Companion bill
SB 6154
Budget
Has a fiscal note

AN ACT Relating to creating an office of the corrections ombuds;

Sponsors

Prime sponsor: Luis Moscoso (D-1)

10 co-sponsors (9 Democrats, 1 Republican)

Eric Pettigrew D-37Sherry Appleton D-23Tina Orwall D-33David Sawyer D-29Cindy Ryu D-32Derek Stanford D-1Gerry Pollet D-46Teri Hickel R-30Steve Bergquist D-11Sharon Tomiko Santos D-37

Votes

No recorded floor votes. This measure never reached a floor vote.

History

  1. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  2. Referred to Appropriations.
  3. Minority; without recommendation.
  4. Minority; do not pass.
  5. PS - Majority; do pass.
  6. First reading, referred to Public Safety (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).

HB 2817 in other sessions

Bill numbers restart every two years, so the same number is a different bill in each session.

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