DRUG SENTENCING REFORM BILL PASSES BOTH HOUSES

March 14, 2002, just after 10 p.m. Washington state's Senate passed HB
2338 the Drug Sentencing Reform bill by a bipartisan vote of 36 to 11.
Because the Senate Judiciary Committee had amended the bill after
passage by the House, the House still needs to vote to concur by the end
of the regular session Thursday. This vote is considered pro forma.
Gov. Locke has 20 days to sign the bill. The Governor has already
indicated his support of the measure.

The bill represents a new state policy direction in dealing with the
public health and public safety issues represented by drug offenders.
Rather than locking people up for having the disease of addition, we
will begin treating them in drug courts with community-based treatment.

Non-violent drug offenders committing crimes after July, 2004, would be
directed to drug court, in preference to in-prison drug treatment or
doing traditional prison time. By shortening prison time for
non-violent drug offenders an average of six months, from 24 months to
18 months, millions of dollars are saved in future prison beds not
built. The savings, up to $8.25 million a year, is redirected into a new
Criminal Justice Treatment Fund, administered by DSHS, with input from a
broad-based committee of concerned groups.

Said Rep. Ruth Kagi, (D-Lake Forest Park) the prime sponsor of the bill,
"This is the right thing to do=97it gives low-level drug offenders a
chance to take responsibility for their addiction and become productive=20
citizens."

Drug courts are championed by police, prosecutors and judges=97people who
deal with drug offenders every day and who have seen drug courts return
positive results because offenders are held accountable for their
addiction, are monitored by the court, and if they fail, are incarcerated.

The strength of the bill in both the House and the Senate speaks of its
strong appeal to almost everyone who has dealt professionally with the
problem of drug abuse. House Bill 2338 has been supported by an
extraordinarily strong coalition of the following individuals or groups:

Norm Maleng, King County Prosecutor
Dave Boerner, Sentencing Guidelines Commission
Washington Assn. of Prosecuting Attorneys
Washington Assn. of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Governor=92s Council on Substance Abuse
Washington Assn. of Drug Court Professionals
Washington State Superior Court Judges Assn.
Washington Defender Assn.
Washington State Bar Assn.
King County Bar Assn.
Washington State Catholic Conference
Washington State Assn. Of Counties
The Friends Public Policy Committee [Quakers]
Department of Corrections
WA State Council of Police and Sheriffs
WA State Assn. of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Assn. of Alcoholism and Addiction Programs of Wash. State
Department of Social and Health Services/ Division of Alcohol and
Substance Abuse
American Civil Liberties Union

Press Release provided by: Sarajane Siegfriedt, Exec. Director
Association of Alcoholism & Addiction Programs
aapwa@qwest.net