A Bill that would open the door for convicted felons to volunteer in schools around the State is moving through the Legislature.  HB 1189 made it out of a public hearing in the House Committee on Education last week.  It is now scheduled for an executive session in the same committee on Thursday (Feb. 6).

Photo: Sen. Brad Hawkins office.
Photo: Sen. Brad Hawkins office.
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This stage is where committee members discuss the bill, can propose amendments (which would be voted on), and then recommend the bill pass, not pass, or pass as amended.  This is the last step before a bill is reported out of the committee and potentially to the House floor for a full vote.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-23rd Dist. Bremerton).  Simmons story is certainly inspiring.  She became the first convicted felon elected to the State Legislature.  After her release from prison on theft, drug, and firearm charges, Simmons enrolled in law school and got her degree in 2017.  In 2020 she was elected to the State House.

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Tarra Simmons X
Tarra Simmons X
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Since that time Simmons has consistently put legislation forward to change life  situations for inmates and convicted felons out of prison.  She has authored bills to pay inmates minimum wage, give them the right to vote and sit on a jury,  and one that would give felons the ability to petition a judge to reduce their sentence without involving the prosecutor's office.  The bill does not exclude violent criminals or sex offenders, and neither does this one.

Simmons bill would prevent the following schools in the state:

  • Public School districts
  • Educational Service Districts
  • Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of
    Hearing Youth
  • State School for the Blind
  • Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs funded schools
  • Charter Schools
  • State-Tribal Education Compact Schools
  • Contractors working for these
    entities

from denying a parent who is a convicted felon from volunteering at their child's school if they provide a certificate of innocence or rehabilitation-related document because of the crime they committed.  If they don't provide those pieces of documentation, the school still can't automatically deny the application.  They would have to go through an evaluation process before a final decision.

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The Pros of the Bill

No one wants to deny someone who is remorseful of their crime, has served their sentence, and has not re-offended opportunities to reclaim their life.  Volunteers in schools (depending on the district) can be hard to come by so it provides another avenue to fill those spots.  It can also give the parent and child quality time outside of the home.

The Cons

The biggest one is there are no felony crimes excluded.  If you've committed a sex crime (even against children) and have the aforementioned documentation, you can't be denied.  If you've committed any type of violent crime and you provide the aforementioned documentation, you can't be denied.  If the needed documentation isn't provided, the school can take into consideration a crime against a child in the evaluation process.

If the parent is denied they can still appeal that denial to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for review.  This also comes on the heels of State Democrats voting no on an amendment to a bill that would require schools to inform parents within 48 hours if their kids had been sexually assaulted.  It is possible, under this bill, that the parent or guardian of a child who has been convicted of such a crime could volunteer in a school...with the right paperwork.

Sexual Violence in Washington State

Sexual violence and sexual assault are, sadly, types of crime we may never see disappear from society. With the stigma and shame surrounding victims, it's important to be aware of what the statistics are in our community. Let's look at the official statistics for sexual violence in Washington state.

Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton

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