Who: Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, Chair of the House Public Safety Committee
What: House Public Safety Committee work session on comprehensive criminal sentencing reform
When: Tuesday, July 16, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Criminal Justice Training Center, 19010 1st Ave S, Burien, WA
Why: Washington’s sentencing laws have not undergone a comprehensive review in almost 40 years. In addition, the Department of Corrections has dealt with sentencing implementation complexities and errors that have led to some inmates being released early and some being held too long. To address these issues, the 2019 Legislature established the Washington State Criminal Sentencing Task Force, which will make legislative recommendations to reduce complexity and improve the effectiveness of the sentencing system. As the Task Force prepares to convene and begin its work soon, the House Public Safety Committee is hosting an introductory work session on sentencing reform, including a presentation of the recently-released report by the Sentencing Guidelines Commission proposing amendments the Sentencing Reform Act.