Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 9.94A - Sentencing Reform Act of 1981.
9.94A.728 - Release prior to expiration of sentence.

RCW 9.94A.728
Release prior to expiration of sentence.

(1) No person serving a sentence imposed pursuant to this chapter and committed to the custody of the department shall leave the confines of the correctional facility or be released prior to the expiration of the sentence except as follows:
(a) An offender may earn early release time as authorized by RCW 9.94A.729;
(b) An offender may leave a correctional facility pursuant to an authorized furlough or leave of absence. In addition, offenders may leave a correctional facility when in the custody of a corrections officer or officers;
(c)(i) The secretary may authorize an extraordinary medical placement for an offender when all of the following conditions exist:
(A) The offender has a medical condition that is serious and is expected to require costly care or treatment;
(B) The offender poses a low risk to the community because he or she is currently physically incapacitated due to age or the medical condition or is expected to be so at the time of release; and
(C) It is expected that granting the extraordinary medical placement will result in a cost savings to the state.
(ii) An offender sentenced to death or to life imprisonment without the possibility of release or parole is not eligible for an extraordinary medical placement.
(iii) The secretary shall require electronic monitoring for all offenders in extraordinary medical placement unless the electronic monitoring equipment interferes with the function of the offender's medical equipment or results in the loss of funding for the offender's medical care, in which case, an alternative type of monitoring shall be utilized. The secretary shall specify who shall provide the monitoring services and the terms under which the monitoring shall be performed.
(iv) The secretary may revoke an extraordinary medical placement under this subsection (1)(c) at any time.
(v) Persistent offenders are not eligible for extraordinary medical placement;
(d) The governor, upon recommendation from the clemency and pardons board, may grant an extraordinary release for reasons of serious health problems, senility, advanced age, extraordinary meritorious acts, or other extraordinary circumstances;
(e) No more than the final twelve months of the offender's term of confinement may be served in partial confinement for aiding the offender with: Finding work as part of the work release program under chapter 72.65 RCW; or reestablishing himself or herself in the community as part of the parenting program in RCW 9.94A.6551. This is in addition to that period of earned early release time that may be exchanged for partial confinement pursuant to RCW 9.94A.729(5)(d);
(f)(i) No more than the final five months of the offender's term of confinement may be served in partial confinement as home detention as part of the graduated reentry program developed by the department under RCW 9.94A.733(1)(a);
(ii) For eligible offenders under RCW 9.94A.733(1)(b), after serving at least four months in total confinement in a state correctional facility, an offender may serve no more than the final 18 months of the offender's term of confinement in partial confinement as home detention as part of the graduated reentry program developed by the department;
(g) The governor may pardon any offender;
(h) The department may release an offender from confinement any time within ten days before a release date calculated under this section;
(i) An offender may leave a correctional facility prior to completion of his or her sentence if the sentence has been reduced as provided in RCW 9.94A.870;
(j) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, an offender sentenced for a felony crime listed in RCW 9.94A.540 as subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of total confinement shall not be released from total confinement before the completion of the listed mandatory minimum sentence for that felony crime of conviction unless allowed under RCW 9.94A.540; and
(k) Any person convicted of one or more crimes committed prior to the person's eighteenth birthday may be released from confinement pursuant to RCW 9.94A.730.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an offender entitled to vacation of a conviction or the recalculation of his or her offender score pursuant to State v. Blake, No. 96873-0 (Feb. 25, 2021), may be released from confinement pursuant to a court order if the offender has already served a period of confinement that exceeds his or her new standard range. This provision does not create an independent right to release from confinement prior to resentencing.
(3) Offenders residing in a juvenile correctional facility placement pursuant to RCW 72.01.410(1)(a) are not subject to the limitations in this section.

[ 2021 c 311 § 19; 2021 c 266 § 2; 2018 c 166 § 2. Prior: 2015 c 156 § 1; 2015 c 134 § 3; 2010 c 224 § 6; prior: 2009 c 455 § 2; (2009 c 455 § 1 expired August 1, 2009); 2009 c 441 § 1; 2009 c 399 § 1; 2008 c 231 § 34; 2007 c 483 § 304; 2004 c 176 § 6; 2003 c 379 § 1; prior: 2002 c 290 § 21; 2002 c 50 § 2; 2000 c 28 § 28; prior: 1999 c 324 § 1; 1999 c 37 § 1; 1996 c 199 § 2; 1995 c 129 § 7 (Initiative Measure No. 159); 1992 c 145 § 8; 1990 c 3 § 202; 1989 c 248 § 2; prior: 1988 c 153 § 3; 1988 c 3 § 1; 1984 c 209 § 8; 1982 c 192 § 6; 1981 c 137 § 15. Formerly RCW 9.94A.150.]
NOTES:

Reviser's note: This section was amended by 2021 c 266 § 2 and by 2021 c 311 § 19, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section under RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).


Effective date—2021 c 311 §§ 1-11 and 13-21: See note following RCW 71.24.115.


Retroactive application—2021 c 266: See note following RCW 9.94A.733.


Effective date—2015 c 134: See note following RCW 9.94A.501.


Effective date—2009 c 455 § 2: "Section 2 of this act takes effect August 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 455 § 5.]


Expiration date—2009 c 455 § 1: "Section 1 of this act expires August 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 455 § 6.]


Effective date—2009 c 441: "This act takes effect August 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 441 § 2.]


Effective date—2009 c 399: "This act takes effect August 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 399 § 2.]


Intent—Application—Application of repealers—Effective date—2008 c 231: See notes following RCW 9.94A.701.


Severability—2008 c 231: See note following RCW 9.94A.500.


Findings—2007 c 483: See RCW 72.78.005.


Severability—Effective date—2004 c 176: See notes following RCW 9.94A.515.


Severability—2003 c 379: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2003 c 379 § 28.]


Effective dates—2003 c 379: "(1) Sections 1 through 12, 20, and 28 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect July 1, 2003.
(2) Sections 13 through 19 and 21 through 27 of this act take effect October 1, 2003." [ 2003 c 379 § 29.]


Effective date—2002 c 290 §§ 7-11 and 14-23: See note following RCW 9.94A.515.


Intent—2002 c 290: See note following RCW 9.94A.517.


Intent—2002 c 50: "The legislature has determined in RCW 9.94A.728(2) that the department of corrections may transfer offenders to community custody status in lieu of earned release time in accordance with a program developed by the department of corrections. It is the legislature's intent, in response to: In re: Capello 106 Wn.App. 576 (2001), to clarify the law to reflect that the secretary of the department has, and has had since enactment of the community placement act of 1988, the authority to require all offenders, eligible for release to community custody status in lieu of earned release, to provide a release plan that includes an approved residence and living arrangement prior to any transfer to the community." [ 2002 c 50 § 1.]


Application—2002 c 50: "This act applies to all offenders with community placement or community custody terms currently incarcerated either before, on, or after March 14, 2002." [ 2002 c 50 § 3.]


Severability—2002 c 50: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2002 c 50 § 4.]


Effective date—2002 c 50: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 14, 2002]." [ 2002 c 50 § 5.]


Technical correction bill—2000 c 28: See note following RCW 9.94A.015.


Severability—1996 c 199: See note following RCW 9.94A.505.


Findings and intent—Short title—Severability—Captions not law—1995 c 129: See notes following RCW 9.94A.510.


Application—1989 c 248: See note following RCW 9.92.151.


Effective date—Application of increased sanctions—1988 c 153: See notes following RCW 9.94A.030.


Effective dates—1984 c 209: See note following RCW 9.94A.030.


Effective date—1981 c 137: See RCW 9.94A.905.

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