HB 1137 · DOC Disciplinary Proceedings and Administrative Segregation

Limits the use of administrative segregation in state prisons and establishes due process rights for incarcerated people facing disciplinary proceedings.

Administrative segregation — solitary confinement in practice — has been used extensively in Washington state prisons, often for extended periods with minimal oversight. Research is unambiguous: solitary confinement causes severe psychological harm, increases recidivism, and disproportionately affects people with mental illness and people of color. Many individuals currently incarcerated in Washington entered the system through the school-to-prison pipeline; improving conditions and due process inside facilities is integral to the coalition’s long-term mission.

HB 1137 limits administrative segregation to 15 days without superintendent approval, 30 days without deputy secretary authorization, and 45 days without secretary-level approval. The Department of Corrections must notify the Corrections Ombudsman when anyone remains in segregation beyond 45 consecutive days. Segregation is restricted to specific circumstances: escape, arson, serious assault, major disturbances, and protective custody. Incarcerated individuals may not lose housing, education, work assignments, or programming solely as a result of segregation placement. The bill establishes a presumption of innocence in disciplinary proceedings, with the facility bearing the burden of proving misconduct by preponderance of evidence. Hearing officers must document their reasoning. The bill is currently in House Appropriations Committee.

• Extended isolation inside correctional facilities mirrors and compounds the exclusionary discipline practices that fuel the school-to-prison pipeline — both remove people from community, education, and productive activity as a primary response to behavior.
• The presumption of innocence provision is significant: it shifts the burden of proof and requires documented reasoning, creating a paper trail for oversight and legal challenge.
• The bill’s bipartisan sponsorship (20 co-sponsors) reflects growing cross-aisle concern about conditions inside DOC facilities.
• Stalled in Appropriations — cost concerns around due process compliance and staffing are the likely obstacle. Advocates should push for a fiscal analysis that accounts for the downstream costs of increased recidivism linked to solitary confinement.