If the governor finds that an emergency exists in that the populations of county jails exceed their reasonable, maximum capacity in a significant manner as a result of increases in the sentenced felon population due to implementation of chapter 9.94A RCW, the governor may do any one or more of the following: (1) Call the sentencing guidelines commission into an emergency meeting for the purpose of evaluating the standard ranges and other standards. The commission may adopt any revision or amendment to the standard ranges or other standards that it believes appropriate to deal with the emergency situation. The revision or amendment shall be adopted in conformity with chapter 34.05 RCW and shall take effect on the date prescribed by the commission. The legislature shall approve or modify the commission's revision or amendment at the next legislative session after the revision or amendment takes effect. Failure of the legislature to act shall be deemed as approval of the revision or amendment. The commission shall also analyze how alternatives to total confinement are being provided and used and may recommend other emergency measures that may relieve the overcrowding. (2) Call the clemency and pardons board into an emergency meeting for the purpose of recommending whether the governor's commutation or pardon power should be exercised to meet the present emergency.
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