When, in the judgment of the secretary, the welfare of any person committed to or confined in any state correctional institution or facility necessitates that such person be transferred or moved for observation, diagnosis, or treatment to any state institution or facility for the care of the mentally ill, the secretary, with the consent of the secretary of social and health services, is authorized to order and effect such move or transfer: PROVIDED, That the sentence of such person shall continue to run as if he or she remained confined in a correctional institution or facility, and that such person shall not continue so detained or confined beyond the maximum term to which he or she was sentenced: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the secretary and the indeterminate sentence review board shall adopt and implement procedures to assure that persons so transferred shall, while detained or confined at such institution or facility for the care of the mentally ill, be provided with substantially similar opportunities for parole or early release evaluation and determination as persons detained or confined in the state correctional institutions or facilities.

Effective date—1981 c 136: See RCW 72.09.900.