Bill would add seats, allow compensation to Washington Statewide Reentry Council

Senate Bill 5139 would expand the Washington Statewide Reentry Council’s membership and allow certain members to receive stipends and expense reimbursement under existing community compensation rules.

Kelsey Ann Fung, committee staff, said the bill would increase council membership from 15 to 20, add seats for the Department of Corrections, Department of Social and Health Services, and Employment Security Department, and add two community members who are currently incarcerated. The bill raises the quorum threshold from seven to 11 and allows eligible participants to receive stipends (up to $200) and reimbursement for travel and care under the state’s class 1 board rules; Fung noted a fiscal note showing $6,600 for overtime costs associated with DOC supervising the two incarcerated participants.

Sponsor Sen. Claire Wilson told the committee the council “has significant influence on Washington state laws, on their investments, and also attitudes” and that allowing compensation removes a barrier to participation for people with lived experience.

Testimony in support included Danielle Armbruster, assistant secretary for the Reentry Division at the Department of Corrections, who said the department “fully supports the policy” and highlighted that 97% of people return to the community, making inclusion of affected people important to program design. Janelle McPhee, executive director of the Statewide Reentry Council, called the changes “three key things”: added agency seats, removal of the statutory prohibition on compensation, and increased representation for people impacted by incarceration.

Dr. Esther Matthews, management analyst for the Statewide Reentry Council who described using lived experience in her role, cited a council survey of roughly 14,000 people in state prisons showing 78% were unfamiliar with the council and said formal inclusion of incarcerated voices is needed to improve outcomes. Candice Baumann, formerly incarcerated and now a reentry program specialist with two nonprofits, said inclusion provides valuable perspectives and civic participation opportunities for people inside facilities.

Committee members asked technical questions about stipend eligibility, and staff said community compensation would apply and that staff would follow up on specific questions. No committee vote was taken at the hearing.