Bill > SB5895

This bill modifies the conditions under which incarcerated individuals in Washington State can be granted an "extraordinary medical placement," which allows them to leave correctional facilities for medical reasons. Previously, such placements required an individual to have a permanent medical condition to a degree that they no longer posed a threat to public safety, or to be expected to die within six months and not pose a threat. This bill expands these conditions to include individuals with a serious and chronic or permanent and degenerative medical condition that substantially limits their ability to care for themselves or for whom the department of corrections cannot meet basic medical care needs, which is defined as health-related accommodations, treatments, prescriptions, or medical devices consistent with accepted standards of care. It also extends the timeframe for individuals expected to die from six months to approximately 18 months, while still requiring them to not pose a threat to public safety. The bill also clarifies that physicians are responsible for diagnosing illnesses and department personnel for assessing risk, and that individuals denied placement must receive a written explanation and have the option to seek review from the office of corrections ombuds. Furthermore, individuals sentenced as persistent offenders are now explicitly ineligible for extraordinary medical placement, and the secretary of corrections is required to implement electronic monitoring for those placed outside facilities unless it's medically detrimental.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5895&Year=2025&Initiative=false