HB 1301
In CommitteeHouse
Confinement fees & expenses
Concerning reducing fees and expenses for services for people confined in state facilities.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill eliminates fees for voice, video, and messaging services for people confined in state facilities and requires the state to provide tablets at no cost. It also mandates transparency in service contracts and prohibits state agencies and contractors from profiting from these services.
- The Department of Corrections and Department of Children, Youth, and Families must provide free voice, video, and messaging services to people in custody—including tablets—at no cost to the user.
- Agencies are prohibited from charging any fees, commissions, or surcharges for communication services, and cannot use these services to replace in-person visits.
- All contracts for communication services must be made public, with detailed pricing (including taxes and fees) posted online, in housing units, and on tablets.
- Contractors must submit annual reports detailing service rates, usage (especially for indigent individuals), hardware costs, and financial data—including revenues and losses.
- The state must maintain at least the same level of access to voice communication devices (e.g., wall phones) and tablet distribution as existed on January 1, 2025.
- The law is officially titled the Connecting Families Act and takes effect on December 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- People confined in state facilities (incarcerated individuals and youth in custody) — People incarcerated in state correctional facilities or juvenile detention centers will gain free access to voice calls, messaging, video calls, and tablets—without being charged for these services or having fees deducted from their accounts.
- Washington State Department of Corrections and Department of Children, Youth, and Families — State agencies responsible for corrections and juvenile services must revise contracts, provide communication tools at no cost, and ensure access to services meets or exceeds 2025 levels.
- Telecommunications and electronic media service contractors — Private contractors who currently provide communication services to incarcerated people must adjust contracts to comply with new transparency and fee-prohibition rules, and submit annual reports.
- Families and loved ones of incarcerated individuals — Families and loved ones of incarcerated people benefit from free, real-time voice and video communication options that help maintain family ties.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Free access to voice, video, and messaging services—including tablets at no cost—restores a fundamental means of maintaining family and community ties during confinement, directly supporting rehabilitation, mental health, and due process rights by enabling confidential legal communication.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), Sec. 1(4)(a), Sec. 5Eliminating fees and commissions from incarcerated individuals—many of whom earn $0–$50/month in prison jobs—prevents exploitative financial burdens that disproportionately impact low-income people and families who often subsidize these costs.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2), Sec. 2(2)(a)-(c), Sec. 2(3)(d)Mandatory public disclosure of pricing, usage data (especially for indigent individuals), and contractor financials increases transparency and accountability, reducing opportunities for price gouging and enabling legislative oversight of service quality.
consumer protectionPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2), Sec. 2(3)(b), Sec. 2(3)(f)Tablets with free messaging and video services can support educational programming, legal research, and distance learning—enhancing rehabilitation opportunities and reducing recidivism by improving access to learning tools during confinement.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), Sec. 1(4)(a), Sec. 2(2)(a)Free communication services—including video calls—can improve continuity of care by enabling telehealth consultations, family-mediated mental health support, and access to addiction recovery resources, which are critical for incarcerated individuals with high rates of mental illness and substance use disorders.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), Sec. 1(4)(a), Sec. 5
Potential Concerns (5)
Elimination of fees for communication services shifts costs from incarcerated individuals to the state budget, potentially increasing general fund expenditures for tablets, service contracts, and infrastructure—though the fiscal impact is described as modest, this represents a new recurring cost that could strain budgets during economic downturns.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1), (2), (4)(a); Sec. 5While the bill mandates maintenance of wall phone access, it does not fund additional staffing or maintenance for these devices—facilities with aging infrastructure may face operational strain without additional support, potentially degrading service quality over time.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)(b), Sec. 1(1) (maintaining 2025-level wall phone access)Contractors must now absorb costs previously passed to users (e.g., per-call surcharges, account fees), which may reduce profit margins and discourage bidding on state contracts—potentially shrinking the pool of qualified vendors and increasing procurement challenges for the state.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)(d), Sec. 2(3)(g)Prohibiting replacement of in-person visits with remote communication could reduce facility operational flexibility, potentially increasing staffing needs for visitation logistics and limiting options during staffing shortages or emergencies—though it preserves access, it may reduce efficiency.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 1(3)Mandating detailed public reporting of contractor financials (e.g., revenues, losses, hardware costs) increases administrative burden and compliance costs for vendors, which may disproportionately impact small telecom providers lacking legal/compliance teams.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(2)(c), Sec. 2(3)(a)-(g)
Who Is Most Affected
People incarcerated in Washington state facilities—especially those earning minimal or no wages—will directly benefit from no-cost communication tools, reducing financial stress on themselves and their families, and improving access to legal counsel and mental health support.
Families and loved ones gain free access to video and voice calls, reducing the financial and emotional burden of maintaining relationships during incarceration—studies show strong family ties reduce recidivism and improve post-release outcomes.
State agencies (DOC and DCYF) will face new costs for tablets and service contracts, but gain operational clarity and reduced liability risk from standardized, transparent service agreements and compliance reporting.
Telecom contractors must absorb previously pass-through costs and comply with rigorous reporting, which may reduce profitability and deter smaller vendors—but large, well-resourced firms can adapt and may gain market share as contracts become more standardized.
Taxpayers and general fund supporters may bear modest long-term costs, but benefit from reduced recidivism, improved public safety, and more ethical use of state-contracted services—yielding net fiscal savings over time.