The proposed bill establishes the Washington Jail Council within the governor's office to enhance jail transparency, ensure humane conditions for both staff and incarcerated individuals, and promote reforms for a more rehabilitative jail system. The council will consist of seven members, including individuals with lived experience of incarceration, medical and behavioral health professionals, and a licensed attorney, all appointed by the governor. The council will have the authority to collect and analyze data on jail operations, monitor compliance with laws and standards, and publish reports with recommendations for improvements. Additionally, the bill amends existing law to mandate that unexpected fatality reviews in jails include the director of the Washington Jail Council or their designee, while also granting the council access to jail facilities and records.

Furthermore, the bill establishes legal protections for documents and testimonies related to unexpected fatality reviews, making such documents generally inadmissible in civil or administrative proceedings, except for those created prior to the review. It clarifies that individuals involved in these reviews cannot be deemed unavailable as witnesses solely based on their participation, although they cannot be questioned about their interactions with the review team. The bill also specifies that these admissibility restrictions do not apply in licensing or disciplinary proceedings related to allegations of wrongdoing connected to the reviewed fatalities. A new section is added to indicate that the provisions of this bill will form a new chapter in Title 43 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 70.48.510
Substitute Bill: 70.48.510