Friends,A corrections ombuds bill is now eligible for a floor vote in the Washington State legislature, and must be voted on by this Wednesday, March 8, or face cut-off. Please phone or email (Today, or at the latest, Tuesday) your state senator to express your support for SB 5465, to establish an independent Corrections Ombuds. The Corrections Ombuds, appointed by the Governor, would visit prisons, provide information to those in prison and their families, provide technical assistance, monitor conditions, and help resolve disputes reducing costly litigation (which now averages about $11 million a year).What happens in prisons is largely hidden from the public; a corrections ombuds, independent of the Dept. of Corrections, would offer greater transparency to the public and provide help for prisoners and their families.More information about the bill can be found here.Include a personal story if you have one. Email addresses of legislators are in the form: , so for example, Senator Mark Miloscia (the chief sponsor of the ombuds bill) is . You can find the name of your senator hereThank you for contacting your Senator!Success on another criminal justice bill: HB 1783, to reform Legal Financial Obligations for persons released from prison, is moving forward, having just passed the House 91-7! We will keep you informed at key points, as it comes under consideration in the Senate.In the light,Quaker Voice Criminal Justice Working Group
