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Sponsor offers reduced FTE option after hearing on hiring PSI writers for Department of Corrections
Summary
Senate Bill 89, proposing additional Department of Corrections FTEs to produce presentence investigation reports and relieve probation officers, drew questions about process and funding; sponsor said she is open to reducing the request from 14 FTEs to a smaller number and the committee later tabled the bill in executive action.
Senate Bill 89, carried by Sen. Smith on behalf of the Criminal Justice Oversight Council, would add staff in the Department of Corrections to produce presentence investigation (PSI) reports and relieve probation officers with heavy caseloads. Smith said the proposal responds to understaffing that has "impacted public safety and the quality of these pre sentence reports," and acknowledged the original fiscal note requested 14 FTEs but that she was "open to a conversation" to reduce that number; during floor discussion she said the Judiciary Committee had considered cutting the number in half and she would accept a smaller total.
Testimony and committee questions focused on how positions would be structured and why this could not be handled through existing agency reassignments or the governor's budget. Natalie Smitham, chief financial officer for the Department of Corrections, provided fiscal context and was asked how the department would allocate fewer FTEs. Smitham said a likely restructuring for a reduced request would include a smaller supervisory layer and more PSI writers: "Most likely, we would go down to 1 probation parole sergeant and the remainder being PSI writers." She described the current staffing model as a mix of dedicated PSI writers and probation officers who also write PSIs in addition to field supervision duties; supporters said those combined duties limit the quality of PSI reports.
Committee members asked why the request did not originate as an agency budget request. The sponsor said the Criminal Justice Oversight Council identified the need based on stakeholder testimony from county attorneys and others about pressures on probation officers and PSI quality. Several senators expressed concern about process and prioritization. During executive action, a motion to pass SB 89 failed on a roll-call tie (11-11) and the committee voted to table the bill. Committee discussion noted that some of the requested staff had been included in the governor's budget package (house bill 2) and some members objected to adding positions outside that process.
Sponsor Sen. Smith closed by asking the committee to consider the proposal and the public safety rationale behind it; the committee tabled the bill after a tied vote and will not advance it at this time.
