All female persons convicted in the superior courts of a felony and sentenced to a term of confinement, shall be committed to the Washington correctional institution for women. Female persons sentenced to death shall be committed to the Washington correctional institution for women, notwithstanding the provisions of *RCW 10.95.170, except that the death warrant shall provide for the execution of such death sentence at the Washington state penitentiary as provided by *RCW 10.95.160, and the secretary of corrections shall transfer to the Washington state penitentiary any female offender sentenced to death not later than seventy-two hours prior to the date fixed in the death warrant for the execution of the death sentence. The provisions of this section shall not become effective until the secretary of corrections certifies to the chief justice of the supreme court, the chief judge of each division of the court of appeals, the superior courts and the prosecuting attorney of each county that the facilities and personnel for the implementation of commitments are ready to receive persons committed to the Washington correctional institution for women under the provisions of this section.

*Reviser’s note: RCW 10.95.170 and 10.95.160 were repealed by 2023 c 102 § 21.

Effective date—1981 c 136: See RCW 72.09.900.