Emergency due to inmate population exceeding correctional facility capacity.
RCW 9.94A.870
in effectIf the governor finds that an emergency exists in that the population of a state residential correctional facility exceeds its reasonable, maximum capacity, then the governor may do any one or more of the following: (1) Call the sentencing guidelines commission into an emergency meeting for the purpose of evaluating the standard ranges and other standards. The commission may adopt any revision or amendment to the standard ranges or other standards that it believes appropriate to deal with the emergency situation. The revision or amendment shall be adopted in conformity with chapter 34.05 RCW and shall take effect on the date prescribed by the commission. The legislature shall approve or modify the commission's revision or amendment at the next legislative session after the revision or amendment takes effect. Failure of the legislature to act shall be deemed as approval of the revision or amendment; (2) Call the clemency and pardons board into an emergency meeting for the purpose of recommending whether the governor's commutation or pardon power should be exercised to meet the present emergency.
If the governor finds that an emergency exists in that the population of a state residential correctional facility exceeds its reasonable, maximum capacity, then the governor may do any one or more of the following:
(1) Call the sentencing guidelines commission into an emergency meeting for the purpose of evaluating the standard ranges and other standards. The commission may adopt any revision or amendment to the standard ranges or other standards that it believes appropriate to deal with the emergency situation. The revision or amendment shall be adopted in conformity with chapter 34.05 RCW and shall take effect on the date prescribed by the commission. The legislature shall approve or modify the commission's revision or amendment at the next legislative session after the revision or amendment takes effect. Failure of the legislature to act shall be deemed as approval of the revision or amendment;
(2) Call the clemency and pardons board into an emergency meeting for the purpose of recommending whether the governor's commutation or pardon power should be exercised to meet the present emergency.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.94A&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026