DOC reentry education

AN ACT Relating to establishing the providing effective education 1
for reentry success act; amending RCW 72.09.460, 72.09.465, and 2
72.09.480; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating 3
new sections. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the 6
providing effective education for reentry success act.7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The legislature recognizes that people who 8
experience prolonged gaps in education face significant challenges in 9
academic and personal development, particularly if those gaps occur 10
during critical developmental years. The legislature intends to 11
prioritize timely access to education during an incarcerated 12
individual's developmental years while also prioritizing continuity 13
of enrollment for students who resume their education later in life. 14
Therefore, the legislature intends to establish the providing 15
effective education for reentry success act to ensure that 16
incarcerated individuals can meaningfully pursue postsecondary 17
education and digital literacy.18
Furthermore, the legislature finds that the goals of digital 19
equity, inclusion, and literacy include incarcerated individuals. The 20
H-0361.1
HOUSE BILL 1166
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Shavers, Ryu, and Simmons
Prefiled 01/06/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Postsecondary Education & Workforce.
p. 1 HB 1166
legislature intends that the department of corrections implement 1
security and monitoring of internet access by incarcerated 2
individuals in a manner that does not hinder participation in 3
postsecondary education degree programs or digital equity, inclusion, 4
and literacy. The legislature intends to encourage incarcerated 5
individuals to pursue postsecondary education and digital literacy by 6
enabling equitable and inclusive access to online learning through 7
Wifi, including the opportunity to possess, as personal property, 8
laptop computers with Wifi capability, together with the accessories 9
necessary for online learning. The legislature intends that the 10
department ensure that no correctional facility enter any contract or 11
implement any regulation in a manner that hinders an incarcerated 12
individual from enrolling in an accredited program of distance 13
learning at an institution of higher education as access to online 14
distance education is necessary to create significant educational 15
pathways that meet the diverse educational aspirations of 16
incarcerated individuals. 17
The legislature supports the use of digital devices, such as 18
continuous glucose, heart rate, and sleep quality monitors, by 19
incarcerated individuals to improve health outcomes. The legislature 20
finds that education and health work together to support 21
rehabilitation and successful reentry, and that personal health 22
technologies can improve the lives of incarcerated individuals.23
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 24
RCW to read as follows: 25
(1) The providing effective education for reentry success program 26
is established within the department of corrections to ensure that 27
incarcerated individuals can meaningfully pursue postsecondary 28
education and digital literacy. In administering the program, the 29
department shall: 30
(a) Permit incarcerated individuals to purchase and retain 31
individual laptop computers using current technology including Wifi 32
capability, an external mouse, camera, and microphone, as part of 33
their personal property. The department may approve health-related 34
digital technologies for incarcerated individuals to purchase and 35
possess as part of their personal property; 36
(b) Subject to amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, 37
amounts available in the incarcerated individual betterment fund, and 38
funds from grants and donations for this purpose, ensure that every 39
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correctional facility install and maintain the broadband 1
infrastructure necessary to provide internet access to incarcerated 2
individuals who possess laptop computers from all locations where 3
they reside; 4
(c) Collaborate with the governor's statewide broadband office 5
established in RCW 43.330.532 to ensure that incarcerated individuals 6
have meaningful opportunities for digital inclusion and digital 7
equity. The department may apply funds from the incarcerated 8
individual betterment fund to the costs of implementing digital 9
inclusion opportunities for incarcerated individuals;10
(d) Ensure that websites of educational value requested by 11
faculty or incarcerated individuals are made accessible within two 12
weeks of the request; 13
(e) Ensure that incarcerated individuals who use their online 14
access privileges responsibly to pursue educational goals do not have 15
access limited due to concerns about the misuse committed by others; 16
and 17
(f) Approve distance education programs and correspondence 18
courses offered by an accredited institution of higher education that 19
are part of a program leading to an associate, bachelor, or graduate 20
degree, or a direct transfer associate degree as defined by RCW 21
28B.10.696, as prison education programs for the purposes of 20 22
U.S.C. Sec. 1091(t)(B)(iii). 23
(2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions 24
apply: 25
(a) "Broadband" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 26
43.330.530; 27
(b) "Broadband infrastructure" has the same meaning as defined in 28
RCW 43.330.530; 29
(c) "Digital equity" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 30
43.330.530 and includes: 31
(i) Enrolling and fully participating in online undergraduate and 32
postgraduate degree programs, online distance education programs, and 33
correspondence courses provided by an institution of higher 34
education. Participation may include videoconferencing, submitting 35
documents electronically, other online methods, and operating 36
associated computer programs and applications; 37
(ii) Purchasing, borrowing, and retaining digital books;38
(iii) Accessing online scholarly repositories and library 39
resources available through an education program; 40
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(iv) Accessing educational and scholarly resources, including 1
online resources; 2
(v) Taking available online tests, assessments, certifications, 3
including graduate school admissions exams; 4
(vi) Preparing and e-filing legal documents in court proceedings 5
in which the incarcerated individual is named; 6
(vii) Storing files to cloud-based storage and sending files out 7
for preservation or printing; 8
(viii) Applying for state and federal financial aid; and9
(ix) Subscribing and accessing educational and scholarly 10
resources available by subscription; 11
(d) "Digital inclusion" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 12
43.330.530; and 13
(e) "Digital literacy" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 14
43.330.530. 15
Sec. 4. RCW 72.09.460 and 2024 c 272 s 1 are each amended to 16
read as follows: 17
(1) Recognizing that there is a positive correlation between 18
education opportunities and reduced recidivism, it is the intent of 19
the legislature to offer appropriate postsecondary degree or 20
certificate opportunities to incarcerated individuals.21
(2) The legislature intends that all incarcerated individuals be 22
required to participate in department-approved education programs, 23
work programs, or both, unless exempted as specifically provided in 24
this section. Eligible incarcerated individuals who refuse to 25
participate in available education or work programs available at no 26
charge to the incarcerated individuals shall lose privileges 27
according to the system established under RCW 72.09.130. Eligible 28
incarcerated individuals who are required to contribute financially 29
to an education or work program and refuse to contribute shall be 30
placed in another work program. Refusal to contribute shall not 31
result in a loss of privileges. 32
(3) The legislature recognizes more incarcerated individuals may 33
agree to participate in education and work programs than are 34
available. The department must make every effort to achieve maximum 35
public benefit by placing incarcerated individuals in available and 36
appropriate education and work programs. 37
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(4)(a) The department shall, to the extent possible and 1
considering all available funds, prioritize its resources to meet the 2
following goals for incarcerated individuals in the order listed:3
(i) Achievement of basic academic skills through obtaining a high 4
school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate as provided 5
in RCW 28B.50.536, including achievement by those incarcerated 6
individuals eligible for special education services pursuant to state 7
or federal law; 8
(ii) Achievement of vocational skills necessary for purposes of 9
work programs and for an incarcerated individual to qualify for work 10
upon release; 11
(iii) Additional work and education programs necessary for 12
compliance with an incarcerated individual's individual reentry plan 13
under RCW 72.09.270, including special education services and 14
postsecondary degree or certificate education programs; and15
(iv) Other appropriate vocational, work, or education programs 16
that are not necessary for compliance with an incarcerated 17
individual's individual reentry plan under RCW 72.09.270 including 18
postsecondary degree or certificate education programs.19
(b)(i) If programming is provided pursuant to (a)(i) through 20
(iii) of this subsection, the department shall pay the cost of such 21
programming, including but not limited to books, materials, and 22
supplies for adult basic education programs and any postsecondary 23
education program that is not financial aid eligible at the time the 24
individual is enrolled or paid for by the department or third party.25
(ii) For financial aid eligible postsecondary programming 26
provided pursuant to (a)(i) through (iii) of this subsection, the 27
department may require the individual to apply for any federal and 28
state financial aid grants available to the individual as a condition 29
of participation in such programming. The individual may elect to use 30
available financial aid grants, self-pay, or any other available 31
third-party funding, or use a combination of these methods to cover 32
the cost of attendance for financial aid eligible postsecondary 33
programming provided under this subsection (4)(b)(ii). If an 34
individual elects to self-pay or utilize third-party funding, the 35
individual is not subject to the postaward formula described in (c) 36
of this subsection. If the cost of attendance exceeds any financial 37
grant awards that may be available to the individual, or the person 38
is not eligible for federal or state financial aid grants, the 39
department shall pay the cost of attendance not otherwise covered by 40
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third-party funding. All regulations and requirements set forth by 1
the United States department of education for federal pell grants for 2
prison education programs apply to financial aid eligible 3
postsecondary programming. 4
(c) If programming is provided pursuant to (a)(iv) of this 5
subsection, incarcerated individuals shall be required to pay all or 6
a portion of the costs, including books, fees, and tuition, for 7
participation in any vocational, work, or education program as 8
provided in department policies. The individual may apply for and 9
utilize federal and state financial aid grants available to the 10
individual. If the individual is not eligible for federal financial 11
aid grants, the individual may apply for and utilize state financial 12
aid grants available to the individual. Department policies shall 13
include a postaward formula for determining how much an incarcerated 14
individual shall be required to pay after deducting any amount from 15
available financial aid or other available sources. The postaward 16
formula shall include steps which correlate to an incarcerated 17
individual's average monthly income or average available balance in a 18
personal savings account and which are correlated to a prorated 19
portion or percent of the per credit fee for tuition, books, or other 20
ancillary educational costs. Any postaward formula offsets and funds 21
paid for by the department for educational programming shall not 22
result in the reduction of any gift aid. The postaward formula shall 23
be reviewed every two years. A third party, including but not limited 24
to nonprofit entities or community-based postsecondary education 25
programs, may pay directly to the department all or a portion of 26
costs and tuition for any programming provided pursuant to (a)(iv) of 27
this subsection on behalf of an incarcerated individual. Such 28
payments shall not be subject to any of the deductions as provided in 29
this chapter. 30
(d) All incarcerated individuals shall receive financial aid and 31
academic advising from an accredited institution of higher education 32
prior to enrollment in a financial aid eligible postsecondary 33
education program. Eligible individuals who choose not to participate 34
or choose to cease participation in a financial aid eligible 35
postsecondary education program shall not result in a loss of 36
privileges. 37
(e) Correspondence courses are ineligible for state and federal 38
financial aid funding unless such course is part of a program leading 39
to an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree. 40
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(f) The department may accept any and all donations and grants of 1
money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from any third 2
party, including but not limited to nonprofit entities and community-3
based postsecondary education programs, and may receive, utilize, and 4
dispose of same to complete the purposes of this section.5
(g) Any funds collected by the department under (c) and (((h) 6
[(f)])) (f) of this subsection and subsections (11) and (12) of this 7
section shall be used solely for the creation, maintenance, or 8
expansion of incarcerated individual educational and vocational 9
programs. 10
(5) The department shall provide access to a program of education 11
to all incarcerated individuals who are under the age of eighteen and 12
who have not met high school graduation requirements or requirements 13
to earn a high school equivalency certificate as provided in RCW 14
28B.50.536 in accordance with chapter 28A.193 RCW. The program of 15
education established by the department and education provider under 16
RCW 28A.193.020 for incarcerated individuals under the age of 17
eighteen must provide each incarcerated individual a choice of 18
curriculum that will assist the incarcerated individual in achieving 19
a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate. The 20
program of education may include but not be limited to basic 21
education, prevocational training, work ethic skills, conflict 22
resolution counseling, substance abuse intervention, and anger 23
management counseling. The curriculum may balance these and other 24
rehabilitation, work, and training components. 25
(6)(a) In addition to the policies set forth in this section, the 26
department shall consider the following factors in establishing 27
criteria for assessing the inclusion of education and work programs 28
in an incarcerated individual's individual reentry plan and in 29
placing incarcerated individuals in education and work programs:30
(i) An incarcerated individual's release date and custody level. 31
An incarcerated individual shall not be precluded from participating 32
in an education or work program solely on the basis of his or her 33
release date, except that incarcerated individuals with a release 34
date of more than one hundred twenty months in the future shall not 35
comprise more than ten percent of incarcerated individuals 36
participating in a new class I correctional industry not in existence 37
on June 10, 2004; 38
(ii) An incarcerated individual's education history and basic 39
academic skills; 40
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(iii) An incarcerated individual's work history and vocational or 1
work skills; 2
(iv) An incarcerated individual's economic circumstances, 3
including but not limited to an incarcerated individual's family 4
support obligations; and 5
(v) Where applicable, an incarcerated individual's prior 6
performance in department-approved education or work programs;7
(b) The department shall establish, and periodically review, 8
incarcerated individual behavior standards and program outcomes for 9
all education and work programs. Incarcerated individuals shall be 10
notified of applicable behavior standards and program goals prior to 11
placement in an education or work program and shall be removed from 12
the education or work program if they consistently fail to meet the 13
standards or outcomes. 14
(7) Eligible incarcerated individuals who refuse to participate 15
in available education or work programs available at no charge to the 16
incarcerated individuals shall lose privileges according to the 17
system established under RCW 72.09.130. Eligible incarcerated 18
individuals who are required to contribute financially to an 19
education or work program and refuse to contribute shall be placed in 20
another work program. Refusal to contribute shall not result in a 21
loss of privileges. 22
(8) The department shall establish, by rule, a process for 23
identifying and assessing incarcerated individuals with learning 24
disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and other cognitive 25
impairments to determine whether the person requires accommodations 26
in order to effectively participate in educational programming, 27
including general educational development tests and postsecondary 28
education. The department shall establish a process to provide such 29
accommodations to eligible incarcerated individuals.30
(9) The department shall establish, and periodically review, 31
goals for expanding access to postsecondary degree and certificate 32
education programs and program completion for all incarcerated 33
individuals, including persons of color. The department may contract 34
and partner with any accredited educational program sponsored by a 35
nonprofit entity, community-based postsecondary education program, or 36
institution with historical evidence of providing education programs 37
to people of color. 38
(10) The department shall establish, by rule, objective medical 39
standards to determine when an incarcerated individual is physically 40
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or mentally unable to participate in available education or work 1
programs. When the department determines an incarcerated individual 2
is permanently unable to participate in any available education or 3
work program due to a health condition, the incarcerated individual 4
is exempt from the requirement under subsection (2) of this section. 5
When the department determines an incarcerated individual is 6
temporarily unable to participate in an education or work program due 7
to a medical condition, the incarcerated individual is exempt from 8
the requirement of subsection (2) of this section for the period of 9
time he or she is temporarily disabled. The department shall 10
periodically review the medical condition of all incarcerated 11
individuals with temporary disabilities to ensure the earliest 12
possible entry or reentry by incarcerated individuals into available 13
programming. 14
(11) The department shall establish policies requiring an 15
incarcerated individual to pay all or a portion of the costs and 16
tuition for any vocational training or postsecondary education 17
program if the incarcerated individual previously abandoned 18
coursework related to postsecondary degree or certificate education 19
or vocational training without excuse as defined in rule by the 20
department. Department policies shall include a formula for 21
determining how much an incarcerated individual shall be required to 22
pay. The formula shall include steps which correlate to an 23
incarcerated individual's average monthly income or average available 24
balance in a personal savings account and which are correlated to a 25
prorated portion or percent of the per credit fee for tuition, books, 26
or other ancillary costs. The formula shall be reviewed every two 27
years. A third party may pay directly to the department all or a 28
portion of costs and tuition for any program on behalf of an 29
incarcerated individual under this subsection. Such payments shall 30
not be subject to any of the deductions as provided in this chapter.31
(12) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, an 32
incarcerated individual subject to the provisions of 8 U.S.C. Sec. 33
1227: 34
(a) Shall not be required to participate in education programming 35
except as may be necessary for the maintenance of discipline and 36
security; 37
(b) May not participate in a postsecondary degree education 38
program offered by the department or its contracted providers, unless 39
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the incarcerated individual's participation in the program is paid 1
for by a third party or by the individual; 2
(c) May participate in prevocational or vocational training that 3
may be necessary to participate in a work program; 4
(d) Shall be subject to the requirements relating to incarcerated 5
individual financial responsibility for programming under subsection 6
(4) of this section. 7
(13) If an incarcerated individual has participated in 8
postsecondary education programs, the department shall provide the 9
incarcerated individual with a copy of the incarcerated individual's 10
unofficial transcripts, at no cost to the individual, upon the 11
incarcerated individual's release or transfer to a different 12
facility. Upon the incarcerated individual's completion of a 13
postsecondary education program, the department shall provide to the 14
incarcerated individual, at no cost to the individual, a copy of the 15
incarcerated individual's unofficial transcripts. This requirement 16
applies regardless of whether the incarcerated individual became 17
ineligible to participate in or abandoned a postsecondary education 18
program. 19
(14) For the purposes of this section: 20
(a) "Third party" includes a nonprofit entity or community-based 21
postsecondary education program that partners with the department to 22
provide accredited postsecondary education degree and certificate 23
programs at state correctional facilities. 24
(b) "Gift aid" has the meaning provided in RCW 28B.145.010.25
Sec. 5. RCW 72.09.465 and 2024 c 272 s 2 are each amended to 26
read as follows: 27
(1)(a) The department may implement postsecondary degree or 28
certificate education programs at state correctional institutions.29
(b) The department may consider for inclusion in any 30
postsecondary degree or certificate education program, any education 31
program from an accredited community or technical college, college, 32
or university that is limited to no more than a bachelor's degree. 33
Washington state-recognized preapprenticeship programs may also be 34
included as appropriate postsecondary education programs.35
(2) Incarcerated individuals not meeting the department's 36
priority criteria for the postsecondary degree education program 37
offered by the department or its contracted providers shall be 38
required to pay the costs for participation in a postsecondary 39
p. 10 HB 1166
education degree program if they elect to participate through self-1
pay, including costs of books, fees, tuition, or any other 2
appropriate ancillary costs, by one or more of the following means:3
(a) For a postsecondary degree education program that is eligible 4
for financial aid, the incarcerated individual who is participating 5
in the program may, during confinement, provide the required payment 6
or payments to the school; 7
(b) For a postsecondary degree education program that is not 8
eligible for financial aid, the incarcerated individual who is 9
participating in the program may, during confinement, provide the 10
required payment or payments to the department; or11
(c) A third party may provide the required payment or payments 12
directly to the department on behalf of an incarcerated individual, 13
and such payments shall not be subject to any of the deductions as 14
provided in this chapter. 15
(3) The department may accept any and all donations and grants of 16
money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from any third 17
party, including but not limited to nonprofit entities, and may 18
receive, utilize, and dispose of same to provide postsecondary 19
education to incarcerated individuals. 20
(4) An incarcerated individual may be selected to participate in 21
a state-funded postsecondary degree or certificate education program, 22
based on priority criteria determined by the department ((, in which 23
the following conditions may be considered:24
(a) Priority should be given to incarcerated )) provided that no 25
more than 67 percent of the seats available in any program be 26
reserved for individuals prioritized in this manner unless the 27
program is a preapprenticeship program. Priority criteria may 28
consider the following conditions in the order listed:29
(a) Incarcerated individuals who, according to the accrediting 30
body, have completed a prerequisite for a state-funded postsecondary 31
degree or certificate education program:32
(i) Within the last five years;33
(ii) Within the last five to 10 years; and34
(iii) More than 10 years ago;35
(b) Incarcerated individuals who do not already possess a 36
postsecondary education degree; and 37
(((b))) (c) Incarcerated individuals with individual reentry 38
plans that include participation in a postsecondary degree or 39
certificate education program that is: 40
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(i) Offered at the incarcerated individual's state correctional 1
institution; 2
(ii) Approved by the department as an eligible and effective 3
postsecondary education degree program; and 4
(iii) Limited to a postsecondary degree or certificate program.5
(5)(a) The department shall collaborate with nonprofit entities 6
and community-based postsecondary education programs to create and 7
expand postsecondary degrees and certificate programs. Participating 8
nonprofit entities and community-based postsecondary education 9
programs shall provide:10
(i) Accredited postsecondary education degree or certificate 11
programs to incarcerated individuals; or12
(ii) Faculty, graduate or undergraduate students, or community 13
professionals in correctional facilities to support postsecondary 14
learning and professional development through study groups, lectures, 15
seminars, peer-to-peer and peer-led study, and other activities.16
(b) The department shall provide approved nonprofit entities and 17
community-based postsecondary education programs with at least one 18
room in each correctional facility for incarcerated individuals and 19
the staff, volunteers, and sponsors of such nonprofit entities and 20
programs to maintain and use technology, including smart boards, 21
computers with internet access, photocopiers, and printers, for 22
fulfilling educational goals.23
(c) Each nonprofit entity and community-based postsecondary 24
education program must cover the cost of the technologies and 25
supplies it uses.26
(6) The department shall work with the college board as defined 27
in RCW 28B.50.030 to develop a plan to assist incarcerated 28
individuals selected to participate in postsecondary degree or 29
certificate programs with filing a free application for federal 30
student aid or the Washington application for state financial aid.31
(((6))) (7) Any funds collected by the department under this 32
section shall be used solely for the creation, maintenance, or 33
expansion of postsecondary education degree programs for incarcerated 34
individuals. 35
Sec. 6. RCW 72.09.480 and 2024 c 32 s 3 are each amended to read 36
as follows: 37
(1) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the 38
definitions in this section apply to this section.39
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(a) "Cost of incarceration" means the cost of providing an inmate 1
with shelter, food, clothing, transportation, supervision, and other 2
services and supplies as may be necessary for the maintenance and 3
support of the inmate while in the custody of the department, based 4
on the average per inmate costs established by the department and the 5
office of financial management. 6
(b) "Minimum term of confinement" means the minimum amount of 7
time an inmate will be confined in the custody of the department, 8
considering the sentence imposed and adjusted for the total potential 9
earned early release time available to the inmate.10
(c) "Program" means any series of courses or classes necessary to 11
achieve a proficiency standard, certificate, or postsecondary degree.12
(2) When an inmate, except as provided in subsections (4) through 13
(11) of this section, receives any funds in addition to his or her 14
wages or gratuities, except settlements or awards resulting from 15
legal action, the additional funds shall be subject to the following 16
deductions and the priorities established in chapter 72.11 RCW:17
(a) Five percent to the crime victims' compensation account 18
provided in RCW 7.68.045; 19
(b) Ten percent to a department personal inmate savings account;20
(c) Twenty percent for payment of legal financial obligations for 21
all inmates who have legal financial obligations owing in any 22
Washington state superior court; 23
(d) Twenty percent for any child support owed under a support 24
order; 25
(e) Twenty percent to the department to contribute to the cost of 26
incarceration; and 27
(f) Twenty percent for payment of any civil judgment for assault 28
for all inmates who are subject to a civil judgment for assault in 29
any Washington state court or federal court. 30
(3) When an inmate, except as provided in subsection (10) of this 31
section, receives any funds from a settlement or award resulting from 32
a legal action, the additional funds shall be subject to the 33
deductions in RCW 72.09.111(1)(a) and the priorities established in 34
chapter 72.11 RCW. 35
(4) When an inmate who is subject to a child support order 36
receives funds from an inheritance, the deduction required under 37
subsection (2)(e) and (f) of this section shall only apply after the 38
child support obligation has been paid in full. 39
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(5) The amount deducted from an inmate's funds under subsection 1
(2) of this section shall not exceed the department's total cost of 2
incarceration for the inmate incurred during the inmate's minimum or 3
actual term of confinement, whichever is longer. 4
(6)(a) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this 5
section shall not apply to funds received by the department from an 6
offender or from a third party on behalf of an offender for payment 7
of education or vocational programs or postsecondary ((education)) 8
degree or certificate education programs as provided in RCW 72.09.460 9
and 72.09.465. 10
(b) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 11
shall not apply to funds received by the department from a third 12
party, including but not limited to a nonprofit entity on behalf of 13
the department's education, vocation, or postsecondary education 14
degree programs. 15
(c) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 16
shall not apply to funds received by the department from a third 17
party, including a nonprofit entity on behalf of an incarcerated 18
individual for the costs of purchasing a laptop computer and any 19
associated accessories and technology permitted under section 3 of 20
this act, as well as any costs associated with pursuing online 21
learning, including tuition, fees, electronic books and media, and 22
online subscription services.23
(7) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 24
shall not apply to any money received by the department, on behalf of 25
an inmate, from family or other outside sources for the payment of 26
postage expenses. Money received under this subsection may only be 27
used for the payment of postage expenses and may not be transferred 28
to any other account or purpose. Money that remains unused in the 29
inmate's postage fund at the time of release shall be subject to the 30
deductions outlined in subsection (2) of this section.31
(8) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 32
do not apply to any money received by the department on behalf of an 33
inmate from family or other outside sources for the payment of 34
certain medical expenses. Money received under this subsection may 35
only be used for the payment of medical expenses associated with the 36
purchase of eyeglasses, over-the-counter medications, and offender 37
copayments. Funds received specifically for these purposes may not be 38
transferred to any other account or purpose. Money that remains 39
p. 14 HB 1166
unused in the inmate's medical fund at the time of release is subject 1
to deductions under subsection (2) of this section.2
(9) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 3
do not apply to any money received by the department on behalf of an 4
inmate from family or other outside sources for the purchase of 5
commissary items. Money received under this subsection may only be 6
used for the purchase of items on the facility commissary list. The 7
amount received by each inmate under this subsection may not exceed 8
the monthly allowance for commissary purchases as allowed by the 9
department. Funds received specifically for these purposes may not be 10
transferred to any other fund, account, or purpose. Money that 11
remains unused in the inmate's commissary fund at the time of release 12
is subject to deductions under subsection (2) of this section.13
(10) Inmates sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility 14
of release or sentenced to death under chapter 10.95 RCW receives 15
funds, deductions are required under subsection (2) of this section, 16
with the exception of a personal inmate savings account under 17
subsection (2)(b) of this section. 18
(11) The deductions required under subsection (2) of this section 19
do not apply to funds for subsistence issued by the department to an 20
inmate: 21
(a) Upon the person's transfer from total confinement to partial 22
confinement, or transfer from total confinement to community custody, 23
pursuant to RCW 72.02.100; or 24
(b) For a furlough pursuant to RCW 72.66.070. 25
(12) The secretary of the department of corrections, or his or 26
her designee, may exempt an inmate from a personal inmate savings 27
account under subsection (2)(b) of this section if the inmate's 28
earliest release date is beyond the inmate's life expectancy.29
(13) The interest earned on an inmate savings account created as 30
a result of the plan in section 4, chapter 325, Laws of 1999 shall be 31
exempt from the mandatory deductions under this section and RCW 32
72.09.111. 33
(14) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the 34
department of social and health services division of child support, 35
the county clerk, or a restitution recipient from taking collection 36
action against an inmate's moneys, assets, or property pursuant to 37
chapter 9.94A, 26.23, 74.20, or 74.20A RCW including, but not limited 38
p. 15 HB 1166
to, the collection of moneys received by the inmate from settlements 1
or awards resulting from legal action. 2
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p. 16 HB 1166