Your Support for Corrections Ombuds Bill is Critical

We are writing you because your state Senator is on the Ways and Means Committee that must make a decision on the Corrections Ombuds bill SB 6154 by next Tuesday, Feb. 9.

  •  Passage through the Senate Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Senator Andy Hill (R; LD45), is critical.   Thus, financial issues related to the Corrections Ombuds bill need to be addressed: 
  • Can you send an email making the following key argument?
  • An Ombuds office can help resolve disputes between prisoners and the Department of Corrections that would otherwise lead to expensive litigation.  Thus, the Ombuds Office can be a major costsaver in the long run. 
  • Contact information for Ways and Means Senators is given below. 
  • The Corrections Ombuds bill SB 6154 passed out of the Senate Law and Justice Committee with a bipartisan vote of six favorable votes out of a possible seven (on Feb.3). 

FCWPP strongly supports this bill because a Corrections Ombuds office can help make lives better for offenders and their families enmeshed in the criminal justice system.  We have worked on an Ombuds bill for many years.  We need to seize this opportunity to get it passed and need your help.

  • An independent Corrections Ombuds office contracted to a non-profit organization would act as a liaison between the Department of Corrections, prisoners and their families, and the public, promoting understanding of the rights and responsibilities of offenders. 
  • Prisons and prisoners are out of the public eye.  The Ombuds Office would have the authority to visit prisons, provide information about conditions, and make specific recommendations.      

Thank you! Criminal Justice Work Group ————————————————- You may email your Senator directly (see addresses below), or send a Comment about the bill to all three of your legislators by clicking here and then clicking on “COMMENT”, or by telephoning the Legislative HOTLINE: 1-800-562-6000.  If you phone your Senator directly, note that all numbers begin with (360)-786-. Members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee

Member Party Dist. Phone      (360)-786- E-mail
Bailey, Barbara R 10 7618 barbara.bailey@leg.wa.gov
Becker, Randi R 2 7602 randi.becker@leg.wa.gov
Billig, Andy D 3 7604 andy.billig@leg.wa.gov
Braun, John R 20 7638 john.braun@leg.wa.gov
Brown, Sharon R 8 7614 sharon.brown@leg.wa.gov
Conway, Steve D 29 7656 steve.conway@leg.wa.gov
Dammeier, Bruce R 25 7648 bruce.dammeier@leg.wa.gov
Darneille, Jeannie D 27 7652 jeannie.darneille@leg.wa.gov
Hargrove, James D 24 7646 jim.hargrove@leg.wa.gov
Hasegawa, Bob D 11 7616 bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov
Hewitt, Mike R 16 7630 mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov
Hill, Andy (Chair) R 45 7672 andy.hill@leg.wa.gov
Honeyford, Jim R 15 7684 jim.honeyford@leg.wa.gov
Keiser, Karen D 33 7664 karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov
Nelson, Sharon D 34 7667 sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov
O’Ban, Steve R 28 7654 steve.o’ban@leg.wa.gov
Padden, Mike R 4 7606 mike.padden@leg.wa.gov
Parlette, Linda Evans R 12 7622 linda.parlette@leg.wa.gov
Pedersen, Jamie D 43 7628 jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov
Ranker, Kevin D 40 7678 kevin.ranker@leg.wa.gov
Rolfes, Christine D 23 7644 christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov
Schoesler, Mark R 9 7620 mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov
Warnick, Judy R 13 7624 judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov