By Andy Porter
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
WALLA WALLA — Washington State Penitentiary workers and local Community Corrections employees are among the thousands of state employees who have received notices they may be temporarily laid off if a new state budget isn’t adopted.
Statewide, about 3,100 Department of Corrections personnel have received layoff notices, said Jeremy Barclay, DOC spokesman. The notices began arriving last week.
Barclay said today he did not have information on how many Washington State Penitentiary and Walla Walla County Community Corrections employees have received notices.
While all the state’s prisons will continue to operate if a two-year state operating budget isn’t signed into law before midnight June 30, operations would be limited and the effects will be felt beyond employee furloughs.
One immediate effect will be an increase in county jail populations. This would be because after July 1 no new admissions will be accepted into the prison system. During that time counties will have to hold prisoners sentenced to DOC custody until budget authority is restored.
Although prisoners who have finished their sentences will continue to be released, law enforcement and victims will cease to be notified that an offender has been set free, Barclay said. Community corrections will also be suspended, except for offenders from other states who are on release under the terms of interstate compacts.
Other effects would include state prisoners eligible for early release being held because field supervision is not available.
Inside state prisons, a shutdown would mean inmates being put on restricted movement, limiting time out of their cells for meals, showers, dayroom activities and access to recreation yards.
Paul Zilly, spokesman for the Teamsters Local Union No. 117 which represents DOC workers, said this concerns union officials.
“If legislators don’t pass a budget, they will be putting corrections employees at risk. Staffing levels will be scaled back considerably. This creates a tense environment in the prisons,” he said.
Union members plan to rally in Olympia on July 1 in the event of a shutdown, he said.
Barclay said a shutdown would also affect his office. Among those furloughed will be employees who answer correspondence and phone calls, respond to public records requests and do website development.
“I will be the lone communications staff,” he said today.