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Ways and Means approves temporary positions to clear parole notification backlog, requires January 2026 status report
Summary
The Public Safety Subcommittee recommended and the committee reported House Bill 5,027 out with funding for staff to eliminate a parole and offender notification backlog, including a budget note requiring an update to the interim joint committee by January 2026.
Senator Broadman presented House Bill 5,027, the budget bill for the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, explaining the proposal includes time-limited positions and funding to address a backlog in offender notification and related workloads.
The nut graf: The Public Safety Subcommittee recommended funding to add nine permanent full-time positions and other resources to eliminate a backlog in offender notification and related casework, with the subcommittee emphasizing these are task-specific positions expected to phase out after backlog elimination and directing a report back to the interim joint committee on Ways and Means by January 2026.
Senator Broadman, Senator (presenter), said the budget includes a package to reduce the "*** offender notification leveling backlog," funded in part by general fund and other funds and including legal costs and contracted evaluations. The subcommittee described the investment as intended to eliminate the backlog within five years and noted positions are anticipated to phase out by the 2029–31 biennium.
A budget note requires the board to return to the interim joint committee on Ways and Means no later than January 2026 to report on recruitment, training, retention, efforts to reduce the backlog and an updated projected timeline. During discussion, committee members emphasized the temporary nature of several positions. One committee member asked that it be clear the five positions are not to be considered long term: the staffing is "for a particular task to get it done," and will end when the work is completed.
Outcome: The Public Safety Subcommittee unanimously recommended House Bill 5,027 be amended by the -1 amendment and reported out due pass as amended; the committee approved that recommendation.
Ending: Committee members praised the targeted investment as critical for victims and communities and noted that the Legislative Fiscal Office supported the fiscal planning.
