Legislation aimed at preventing the state from releasing foster youth, prison inmates and mental patients to homelessness has picked up a sponsor: State Rep. Mark Miloscia, D-Federal Way, who introduced it Jan. 21 as House Bill 1488.
In the short term, the bill, put forward by the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless ("Plan to prevent homelessness," Dec. 23-30), requires both the Department of Corrections and the Department of Social and Health Services to record and track people's housing status upon release and provide the legislature with specific plans, by 2011, for how to house those exiting to the streets.