Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

H-0357.1
                                HOUSE BILL 1161
     State of Washington       69th Legislature       2025 Regular Session
     By Representative Ryu
     Prefiled 01/03/25.
      AN ACT Relating to establishing the veteran employability
  training and career advancement for reentry program; adding a new
  chapter to Title 28B RCW; and providing an expiration date.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
     NEW SECTION.    Sec. 1.    The definitions in this section apply
 throughout   this  chapter   unless  the   context  clearly  requires
 otherwise.
     (1) "College board" means the state board for community and
 technical colleges created in chapter 28B.50 RCW.
     (2) "Community college" has the same meaning as in RCW
 28B.50.030.
     (3) "Correctional facility" has the same meaning as defined in
 RCW 72.09.015.
     (4) "Department" means the department of corrections.
     (5) "Immediate family" has the same meaning as defined in RCW
 72.09.015.
     (6) "Justice involved" has the same meaning as "inmate" as
 defined in RCW 72.09.015 and includes currently or formerly
 incarcerated individuals and defendants participating in pretrial
 diversion programs 18 to 24 months in length in Pierce, King, or
 Snohomish county.
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     (7) "Participant" means an eligible justice involved veteran who
 has been approved and accepted to participate in the program.
     (8) "Program" means the veteran employability training and career
 advancement for reentry program created in section 2 of this act.
     (9) "Veteran" means any person who, regardless of discharge, has
 served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 2.   (1) Subject to amounts appropriated for
 this specific purpose, the veteran employability training and career
 advancement for reentry program is established within the college
 board to provide individualized transitional and soft skills to
 justice involved veterans and their families to improve economic
 well-being,   reduce   recidivism,   prevent  homelessness,  improve
 reintegration, and provide a workforce that is educated and trained
 for living-wage careers of the 21st century.
     (2) In administering the program, the college board shall select
 one community college west of the crest of the Cascade mountain range
 to participate in the program by serving participants. Community
 colleges with demonstrated records of providing similar services must
 be prioritized.
     (3) The selected community college shall:
     (a) Make use of available programs, courses, and methods to
 deliver transitional employment and reentry readiness materials to
 participants; and
     (b) Employ a full-time equivalent reentry and educational
 navigator to determine eligibility and, in collaboration with the
 department,   establish  contact   with   eligible  justice   involved
 veterans. The navigator shall provide participants individualized
 transitional reentry and employment readiness services including,
 where applicable:
     (i) Requesting written permission from participants to contact
 and offer services to their immediate family;
     (ii) Conducting intensive intake interviews with participants and
 approved immediate family;
     (iii) Verifying eligibility by obtaining proof of military
 service in any branch of the armed forces of the United States;
     (iv) Collaborating with the department and other relevant
 agencies to deliver individualized prerelease programs through
 correspondence, approved textbooks, or core curriculum objectives;
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     (v)   Assisting  in   preparing   and  updating    program-specific
 individualized transitional reentry and employment readiness plans
 based on assessment scores of the employment readiness scale;
     (vi)   In  collaboration   with  the   department,   assisting   in
 developing a postrelease transitional support system with timely and
 measurable steps that supports a participant's transitional reentry
 and employment readiness plan created in (b)(v) of this subsection;
     (vii) Providing approved immediate family support services
 outlined in section 3 of this act;
     (viii) Conducting regular virtual or in-person check-ins to
 measure progress of soft skills development;
     (ix) Assisting with career development skills; and
     (x) Utilizing funding from federal, state, and local agencies to
 support participants or their immediate family.
     (4) To be eligible for services under the program, an individual
 must:
     (a) Be a justice involved veteran:
     (i) Within 24 months of release from incarceration or within 24
 months postincarceration; or
     (ii) Participating in a pretrial diversion program 18 to 24
 months in length in Pierce, King, or Snohomish county;
     (b) Complete the employment readiness scale biannually to measure
 self-efficacy and outcome expectancy; and
     (c) Complete a career research project.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 3.   (1) Subject to amounts appropriated for
 this specific purpose, the college board and the selected community
 college shall collaborate with the department of veterans affairs to
 develop eligibility criteria for approved immediate family of
 participants to receive funds to assist in:
     (a) Rental support not to exceed $1,000 per month up to 12 months
 paid directly to the landlord, housing provider, or mortgage holder;
     (b) Food assistance not to exceed $500 per month up to six
 months;
     (c) Driver's license fees including unpaid fines, auto insurance
 premiums, auto registration fees, public transportation, and auto
 repair expenses not to exceed $1,000 within 24 months; and
     (d)   Purchasing   work   appropriate    clothing   and   training
 certificates not to exceed $1,500 within 24 months.
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     (2) No funds allocated under subsection (1) of this section may
 be used for unpaid child support or legal financial obligation fines.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 4.   Subject to amounts appropriated for this
 specific purpose, the department shall:
     (1) Develop and implement processes by which it can identify and
 approve participation of any qualifying justice involved veterans
 incarcerated   in  a   correctional   facility   or  under   department
 supervision in the program;
     (2) Assist participants incarcerated in a correctional facility
 with receiving correspondence, textbooks, and other curriculum; and
     (3)   Document   participation   of   justice   involved   veterans
 incarcerated in a correctional facility in the program to ensure
 sufficient recordkeeping and facilitate uninterrupted participation
 in the program in the event a participant is transferred to another
 correctional facility.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 5.   (1) Subject to amounts appropriated for
 this specific purpose, the department of veterans affairs shall:
     (a) Assign two full-time equivalent veteran service officers or
 staff members trained in the benefits available to veterans to
 collect data on veterans entering a correctional facility and
 veterans under department supervision; and
     (b) Share data collected under (a) of this subsection with the
 college board and the selected community college.
     (2) A national veterans organization may provide the veteran
 service officers or staff members assigned in subsection (1)(a) of
 this section.
     NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. An interagency work group of the college
 board, the department of veterans affairs, and the selected community
 college is created to analyze the feasibility of expanding the
 program statewide. By December 1, 2025, the work group must submit a
 report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature
 pursuant to RCW 43.01.036.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 7.   In compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the
 college board, in collaboration with the selected community college
 and the department of veterans affairs, shall report to the
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 legislature by November 1, 2025, and by July 1st annually thereafter
 on:
     (1) The number of participants and immediate family participating
 in the program;
     (2) The level of educational attainment of participants;
     (3) Employment statistics of participants;
     (4) Recidivism rates of participants; and
     (5) The nature and extent of assistance participants received
 under the program.
     NEW SECTION.   Sec. 8.   Sections 1 through 7 of this act expire
 August 1, 2031.
     NEW SECTION.     Sec. 9.    Sections 1   through   8   of   this   act
 constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.
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