Claire Wilson — Continues advocating for the bill and transitions to testimony.
Claire Wilson — Jefferson's testimony continued in support of the bill before the committee chaired by Senator Wilson.
Claire Wilson — Armbruster addressed Chair Wilson while beginning testimony.
Claire Wilson — Armbruster thanked Senator Wilson for bringing the legislation forward.
Claire Wilson — Armbruster referenced Senator Wilson's point about the need for a slow release process.
Claire Wilson — Engstrom addressed Chair Wilson and committee members at the start of testimony.
Claire Wilson — Chair Wilson managed the close of testimony and transition to the next bill.
Claire Wilson — Two speakers address Chair Claire Wilson and the committee in their opening remarks/testimony, using formal greetings before proceeding with their comments.
Claire Wilson — Chair Claire Wilson is repeatedly addressed during the hearing, then resumes speaking to manage the transition back to public testimony. She acknowledges time limits, makes space for public input, and thanks attendees for being present and sharing their views, emphasizing that the committee listens to public testimony.
Secretary Lang — Identified as present to testify for the Department of Corrections.
Daniel Armbruster — Daniel Armbruster is identified multiple times as present with the Department of Corrections and as part of the DOC team that will testify.
Noel Frame — Named as the Vice Chair who will take over the committee temporarily.
Noel Frame — Lang recalls that Senator Frame previously asked how to change culture.
Noel Frame — The witness addressed Vice Chair Frame at the start of her remarks.
Noel Frame — Senator Saldana is identified as the sponsor of Senate Bill 5895 and is invited to present it. She introduces herself and explains that the bill reflects years of work with incarcerated people and their families to craft a narrow, compassionate policy. She describes the measure as intended for people at the end of life whose facility care is inadequate and who do not pose a public safety threat, emphasizing that it is meant to be workable rather than a privilege. She notes that physicians and the Department of Corrections would determine eligibility, that the bill has been introduced before and is meant to clarify implementation and timing, and that she is open to language changes and committee feedback.
Noel Frame — Called on to help manage the next panel and time limit.
Noel Frame — Senator Noel Frame is introduced as getting organized and ready to proceed, then takes over the hearing and outlines the testimony process, including the 60-second limit per person and the panel order.
Noel Frame — Addressed as Vice Chair Frame.
Tim Lang — Introduces himself as Secretary of the Washington State Department of Corrections and responds to the chair.
David Flynn — Identified as one of the DOC colleagues present and later testifying.
David Flynn — Assistant Secretary of Health Services for the Department of Corrections introduced himself and began testimony.
David Flynn — Listed as on deck to testify in person.
David Flynn — David Flynn, Assistant Secretary of Health Services with the Department of Corrections, introduced himself for the record and testified on behalf of the department. He expressed concern about the bill’s definition of basic medical care and concluded by saying the department remains committed to continuing to work with legislators and stakeholders on policy.
Scott Russell — Recognized as Deputy Secretary and praised for his corrections experience and leadership values.
Danielle Armbruster — Assistant Secretary for the Reentry Division at the Washington State Department of Corrections introduced herself and began testimony.
Danielle Armbruster — She concluded her remarks and handed off to the next speaker.
Danielle Armbruster — Assistant Secretary for the reentry division within the Washington State Department of Corrections; testified in support of Senate Bill 5873.
SB5953 — The bill provided the pathway for implementing federal and state financial aid for incarcerated students.
SB5029 — Gross Substitute Senate Bill 5029 was discussed as a transportation-at-release measure that takes a more human-centered approach and removes the previous $100 cap and lowest-cost requirement for transportation provided at release or discharge.
SB5219 — The bill expanded access to partial confinement programs up to 18 months before earned release.
Assistant Secretary Dave Flynn — Danielle Armbruster handed the presentation to Assistant Secretary Dave Flynn.
people with lived experience — The speaker says several people with lived experience are present and will likely testify about peer-led programming.
Tina Orwall — The chair calls on Senator Tina Orwall, who then thanks the speaker and expresses interest in the work on 988. She asks for implementation materials and raises questions about veteran units and peer model approaches.
Tina Orwall — The speaker expresses appreciation for Senator Saldana’s work on the issue and for introducing the bill, then asks that any additional ideas or suggestions be passed along to Senator Saldana for possible bill revisions.
Dave Flynn — Referenced as someone who can correct the speaker on whether MOUD is administered via telehealth.
Leonard Christian — Senator Leonard Christian thanks the chair and DOC representatives, then raises concerns about the DOC system, victims and families, and specifically asks what is being done to find additional re-incarceration beds for women on the east side of the state.
Leonard Christian — Questions whether the bill has a clear definition or list of qualifying serious medical conditions and expresses concern it could be used to move older people out of the system.
Leonard Christian — Addressed as the ranking member of the committee.
Leonard Christian — Addressed as the ranking member of the committee.
Leonard Christian — Senator Leonard Christian asks a question about the bill, specifically seeking clarification on how family members are defined and whether adoptions must have occurred before incarceration. The response indicates that the discussion is tied to an email from a community member, continuing the same exchange.
Leonard Christian — Leonard Christian asks whether people already incarcerated would need to be resentenced under the proposal, and follows up to confirm that all currently sentenced individuals in jail would need resentencing and to understand how many people would be affected. He also raises concern about the absence of a fiscal note.
Leonard Christian — Leonard Christian is referenced multiple times during the hearing as Ranking Member Christian, including an earlier committee address, a brief name clarification by the chair, and a later direct address by the witness and chair. All mentions are part of the same ongoing discussion and identify him in the same committee role.
Judy Warnick — The chair calls on Senator Judy Warnick, who says she would like to hear more later about the correctional industries program. The speaker responds by thanking her and addressing her interest in correctional industries and firefighting-related training/programming.
Jeremiah Bourgeois — Jeremiah Bourgeois is introduced and welcomed as the new director of the Office of Correction Ombuds, with reference to his prior service on the Sentencing Guidelines Commission. He then presents himself and his office, thanks community corrections officers who supported his reentry, and explains how those supports and DOC policies enabled his education and rehabilitation after serving 27 years in prison for a crime committed as a teenager. Bourgeois describes the statutory purpose of the OCO, notes his appointment as director on December 1, 2025, and reflects on how his incarceration and path to public service shaped his perspective. He emphasizes the importance of the office, its limited resources, and the need to prioritize the most serious complaints, and announces that Judge George Fearing will join the office part-time. The segment closes with committee members praising his appointment and expressing confidence they will hear from him and the OCO again in future updates.
Elizabeth Kingsbury — Introduced as Bourgeois's deputy.
Angie Schrader — Introduced as senior investigator.
George Fearing — Described as bringing private-practice litigation experience and helping reduce the likelihood of civil actions; he is retiring from the court and continuing public service with the office.
SB5895 — Senate Bill 5895 is briefed to the committee as a proposal to add an alternative condition for extraordinary medical placement for incarcerated individuals. Staff explains that the bill would allow the Secretary of the Department to authorize placement when a person’s serious medical condition prevents DOC or its contractors from meeting basic medical care needs, and notes related criteria such as low risk to the community, expected state cost savings, revocation authority, electronic monitoring requirements, and exceptions where monitoring would harm health or interfere with medical equipment. Staff also notes the bill defines medical care needs and carries an indeterminate but non-zero fiscal impact. Testimony then follows, with multiple witnesses expressing support and urging passage as written, describing the bill as a recurring effort to clarify and expand when extraordinary medical placement is appropriate and aligning it with humane treatment principles. The Department raises concern about how the bill defines basic medical care needs. The hearing concludes with additional support and the formal closing of the hearing on the bill.
Will Tronson — Will Tronson, committee staff, briefs the committee on the bill by explaining the current extraordinary medical placement process and the proposed change in the legislation, then concludes his presentation and offers to answer questions.
Will Tronson — Will Tronson, staff for the committee, briefs Senate Bill 5873 on escorted leaves of absence. He explains that the bill creates a single escorted leave category, requires escort employees to maintain visual or auditory contact with the person at all times, and places funeral and bedside visit expenses on the person granted leave or their family. He also describes the bill’s expanded family definitions and concludes by offering to answer questions.