Reply #12: Senate hearing on 3 strikes bill 1/19

[eridani]

SENATE HEARING ON 3-STRIKES: SB 5053
*WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2010, 1:30-3:30
Senate Hearing Rm 1, Cherberg Bldg, 304 15th Ave. Olympia
MAP AND PARKING INFORMATION

We are writing to ask you to consider two actions to support 3-Strikes in the next few days. First, we encourage you to attend the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for SB 5053 next Wednesday. A room filled with supporters sends a powerful message to legislators. Second, please expect a call or email from us in the next few weeks on when to reach your legislators at the best time to support this bill.

A sample message that you can send to your legislators any time appears to the right.

More information about the bill and the hearing appears below.



DESCRIPTION OF SB 5053

Over the past decade, more than 30 legislators have sponsored 3-Strikes reform bills. Senator Kline, Chair of the Senate Judiciary committee, has been the most consistent champion of this reform. This year, he has crafted a narrow fix to 3-Strikes that would reduce the most disproportionate impact of this law.

Senate Bill 5053 would:

Apply to 3-Strikers convicted of B level felonies only - primarily Robbery 2 and Assault 2.
Reduce sentences for these individuals from Life Without Parole to 15 Years to Life.
Allow these individuals to apply for parole after serving 15 years of "hard time" (no reduction for good behavior).
Make continued parole conditional on adherence to a behavior plan in the community.
Exclude 3-Strikers convicted of crimes with deadly weapons or sexual motivation from eligibility.

This small - but critical -- reform would apply to future defendants, as well as affecting an estimated 15-20 individuals currently serving Life Without Parole (LWOP) for lower-seriousness crimes. It has a fighting chance this year. Your support WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. ATTENDING THE HEARING

At the hearing, you will sign as an attendee supporting the bill. This show of public support is an important part of the public record on this issue. It gets noticed. Sometimes members of a committee even ask supporters of a bill to stand up or raise their hands.

Please arrive a little early, as parking can take some time. Here is information on parking for the Capitol Building: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Parking.aspx*Note: There had been a possibility that the hearing would be rescheduled. This date and time have been reconfirmed