OLYMPIA — A bill aimed at improving resources for incarcerated individuals and their families was heard in the Senate Human Services Committee Tuesday.
Senate Bill 5182, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), seeks to expand access to parenting programs, enhance maternal health care services for incarcerated individuals, and update language in state policies to reflect greater inclusivity.
The bill would direct the Department of Corrections to make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available midwifery or doula services for incarcerated individuals in their custody and allows them to partner with nonprofit organizations and volunteers to deliver these services. It would expand eligibility for the Community Parenting Alternative program, which permits some incarcerated individuals to serve the remainder of their sentences under home detention while caring for their children.
The bill also updates outdated terms like “inmate” and replaces them with “incarcerated individual,” as well as changing references to “women” to gender-neutral language.
“This is a commonsense step toward building a corrections system that prioritizes dignity, equity, and family stability,” Nobles said. “Families often bear the heaviest burden of incarceration. This bill ensures they are not overlooked by providing the necessary resources to incarcerated parents and their children.”
Follow the bill’s progress here.