WA SB5231

Voice communication services (phone calls) must be provided free of charge to incarcerated individuals and call recipients in Washington state correctional facilities, with the Department of Corrections prohibited from receiving any revenue, commission, or fee from these services.

Tablets must be provided to all incarcerated individuals at no cost, and facilities must maintain the same number of wall phones per housing unit as existed on January 1, 2025.

Voice communication services cannot be used to replace in-person contact visits, and call duration cannot be limited on tablets (though wall phone duration may be limited).

Telecommunication service contracts must be publicly posted with detailed rate breakdowns, and contractors must submit annual reports including usage data, hardware costs, customer service response times, and quarterly revenue accounting.

The act takes effect December 1, 2025, and may be cited as the "connecting families act."