wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1247 > Original Bill
Whenever any person is convicted as an adult in the courts of this state of a felony offense committed under the age of 18, and is committed for a term of confinement, that person shall be initially placed in a facility operated by the department of corrections to determine the person's earned release date.
If the earned release date is prior to the person's 21st birthday, the department of corrections shall transfer the person to the custody of the department of children, youth, and families until the person completes the ordered term of confinement or arrives at the age of 21.
While in the custody of the department of children, youth, and families, the person must have the same treatment, housing options, transfer, and access to program resources as any other person committed to that juvenile correctional facility or institution pursuant to chapter 13.40 RCW. Except as provided under (e) of this subsection, treatment, placement, and program decisions shall be at the sole discretion of the department of children, youth, and families. The person shall not be transferred to the custody of the department of corrections without the approval of the department of children, youth, and families until the person reaches the age of 21.
If the person's sentence includes a term of community custody, the department of children, youth, and families shall not release the person to community custody until the department of corrections has approved the person's release plan pursuant to RCW 9.94A.729(5)(b). If a person is held past his or her earned release date pending release plan approval, the department of children, youth, and families shall retain custody until a plan is approved or the person completes the ordered term of confinement prior to age 21.
If the department of children, youth, and families determines that retaining custody of the person in a facility of the department of children, youth, and families presents a significant safety risk, the department of children, youth, and families may transfer the person to the custody of the department of corrections.
The department of corrections must retain authority over custody decisions relating to a person whose earned release date is on or after the person's 21st birthday and who is placed in a facility operated by the department of children, youth, and families under this section, unless the person qualifies for partial confinement under RCW 72.01.412, and must approve any leave from the facility. When the person turns age 21, he or she must be transferred to the department of corrections, except as described under RCW 72.01.412. The department of children, youth, and families has all routine and day-to-day operations authority for the person while the person is in its custody.
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Except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection, a person under the age of 18 who is transferred to the custody of the department of corrections must be placed in a housing unit, or a portion of a housing unit, that is separated from other persons in custody who are 18 years of age or older, until the person reaches the age of 18.
A person who is transferred to the custody of the department of corrections and reaches 18 years of age may remain in a housing unit for persons under the age of 18 if the secretary of corrections determines that: (i) The person's needs and the rehabilitation goals for the person could continue to be better met by the programs and housing environment that is separate from other persons in custody who are 18 years of age and older; and (ii) the programs or housing environment for persons under the age of 18 will not be substantially affected by the continued placement of the person in that environment. The person may remain placed in a housing unit for persons under the age of 18 until such time as the secretary of corrections determines that the person's needs and goals are no longer better met in that environment but in no case past the person's 21st birthday.
A person transferred to the custody of the department of corrections who is under the age of 18 may be housed in an intensive management unit or administrative segregation unit containing offenders 18 years of age or older if it is necessary for the safety or security of the offender or staff. In these cases, the offender must be kept physically separate from other offenders at all times.
A person in the custody of the department of children, youth, and families under RCW 72.01.410 is eligible for community transition services under the authority and supervision of the department of children, youth, and families:
a.
After 60 percent of their term of confinement has been served, and no less than 15 weeks of total confinement served including time spent in detention prior to sentencing or the entry of a dispositional order
; and
b. The department of children, youth, and families determines that such placement and retention by the department of children, youth, and families is in the best interests of the person and the community.
"Term of confinement" as used in subsection (1)(a) of this section means the term of confinement ordered, reduced by the total amount of earned time eligible for the offense.
The department's determination under subsection (1) (b) of this section must include consideration of the person's behavior while in confinement and any disciplinary considerations.
The department of children, youth, and families retains the authority to transfer the person to the custody of the department of corrections under RCW 72.01.410.
A person may only be placed in community transition services under this section for the remaining 18 months of their term of confinement.
A person placed in community transition services under this section must have access to appropriate treatment and programming as determined by the department of children, youth, and families, including but not limited to:
Behavioral health treatment;
Independent living;
Employment;
Education;
Connections to family and natural supports; and
Community connections.
If the person has a sentence that includes a term of community custody, this term of community custody must begin after the current term of confinement has ended.
8.
The following persons are not eligible for community transition services under this section:
a. Persons with pending charges or warrants;
b. Persons who will be transferred to the department of corrections, who are in the custody of the department of corrections, or who are under the supervision of the department of corrections;
c. Persons who were adjudicated or convicted of the crime of murder in the first or second degree;
d. Persons who meet the definition of a "persistent offender" as defined under RCW 9.94A.030;
e. Level III sex offenders; and
f. Persons requiring out-of-state placement.
As used in this section, "community transition services" means a therapeutic and supportive community-based custody option in which:
A person serves a portion of his or her term of confinement residing in the community, outside of the department of children, youth, and families institutions and community facilities;
The department of children, youth, and families supervises the person in part through the use of technology that is capable of determining or identifying the monitored person's presence or absence at a particular location;
The department of children, youth, and families provides access to developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, racial equity-based, and culturally relevant programs to promote successful reentry; and
The department of children, youth, and families prioritizes the delivery of available programming from individuals who share characteristics with the individual being served related to: Race; ethnicity; sexual identity; and gender identity.