Radiation dose standards

AN ACT Relating to establishing radiation dose standards for the 1
operation of ionizing radiation screening systems regulated by the 2
department of health; amending RCW 70A.388.040; adding a new section 3
to chapter 70A.388 RCW; and creating a new section.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:6
(a) The department of health is the designated state radiation 7
control agency and has the authority to establish regulations 8
relating to control of sources of ionizing radiation. Using that 9
authority, in December 2024, the department of health issued rules 10
that, among other changes, limited the screening capabilities of 11
correctional facilities. This included requiring body scanners to 12
operate at one-eighth of their previous imaging power, resulting in 13
unclear images that diminish the ability of correctional staff to 14
identify concealed narcotics potentially leading to dangerous health 15
and safety impacts, including overdose; 16
(b) Effective screening is essential to protecting the health and 17
safety of all incarcerated individuals, facility staff, and the 18
public visiting in correctional facilities; 19
(c) This reduction in imaging capability has already contributed 20
to serious health and safety incidents and nearly an overdose death. 21
H-2497.1
HOUSE BILL 2241
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Couture, Engell, Barnard, and Schmick
Prefiled 01/02/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Health Care & Wellness.
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These incidents underscore the urgent need to restore screening 1
effectiveness to prevent further harm to individuals' health and 2
safety; 3
(d) The dose levels restored by this act remain well below widely 4
accepted public and occupational health limits for ionizing 5
radiation; and 6
(e) Correctional facilities must have access to screening 7
technologies capable of detecting hidden narcotics and other 8
contraband that endanger lives. Overdose incidents within jails have 9
increased statewide, and reduced scanning effectiveness poses a 10
growing risk to both incarcerated individuals and correctional staff.11
(2) Therefore, the legislature intends to require the department 12
of health to revise radiation dose thresholds for contraband 13
screening in correctional facilities to restore the operational 14
effectiveness of body scanners while maintaining safe exposure 15
limits. This change will balance health protections for incarcerated 16
individuals with the urgent need to prevent lethal drugs and other 17
dangerous contraband from entering secure facilities, thereby 18
safeguarding the lives of those who live and work within them.19
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70A.388 20
RCW to read as follows: 21
(1) The department of health as the designated state radiation 22
control agency may not establish effective dosage limits or other 23
restrictions intended to reduce the effective radiation dose through 24
rule making or other means for ionizing radiation screening systems 25
used in correctional facilities, detention facilities, or jails that 26
conflict with this section. The department of health may not 27
establish a limit on the: 28
(a) Total effective radiation dose delivered by an ionizing 29
radiation screening system per screening that is less than 2 µSv ( 0.2 30
mrem); 31
(b) Total effective dose per calendar year for an individual who 32
has been committed to a correctional facility or who has been 33
presented for confinement in a jail or detention facility that is 34
less than 0.25 mSV (25 mrem); and 35
(c) Level of radiation in the area outside the radiation 36
screening zone in any one hour that is less than 20 µSv (2 mrem). 37
When installed and operated according to manufacturer specifications, 38
an ionizing radiation screening system meeting the standards in this 39
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section is deemed compliant with the radiation limits for the area 1
outside the radiation screening zone. 2
(2) An ionizing radiation screening system must be permitted to 3
operate at an effective dose of at least 2 μSv ( 0.2 mrem) per 4
screening. 5
(3) For the purposes of this section: 6
(a) "Correctional facility" has the same meaning as "correctional 7
institution" in RCW 9.94.049; 8
(b) "Detention facility" means a county facility, paid for by the 9
county, for the physical confinement of a juvenile alleged to have 10
committed an offense or an adjudicated offender subject to a 11
disposition or modification order. "Detention facility" includes 12
county group homes, inpatient substance abuse programs, juvenile 13
basic training camps, and electronic monitoring; 14
(c) "Ionizing radiation screening system" means a system that 15
intentionally exposes an individual to ionizing radiation for imaging 16
purposes in a correctional facility, detention facility, or jail and 17
is regulated by the department of health; 18
(d) "Jail" means any holding, detention, special detention, or 19
correctional facility as defined in RCW 70.48.020; and20
(e) "Radiation screening zone" means the general area established 21
for the purpose of limiting or controlling access to the area where 22
screening will be performed. 23
Sec. 3. RCW 70A.388.040 and 2012 c 117 s 414 are each amended to 24
read as follows: 25
(1) The department of health is designated as the state radiation 26
control agency, hereinafter referred to as the agency, and shall be 27
the state agency having sole responsibility for administration of the 28
regulatory, licensing, and radiation control provisions of this 29
chapter. 30
(2) The secretary of health shall be director of the agency, 31
hereinafter referred to as the secretary, who shall perform the 32
functions vested in the agency pursuant to the provisions of this 33
chapter. 34
(3) The agency shall appoint a state radiological control 35
officer, and in accordance with the laws of the state, fix his or her 36
compensation and prescribe his or her powers and duties.37
(4) The agency shall for the protection of the occupational and 38
public health and safety: 39
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(a) Develop programs for evaluation of hazards associated with 1
use of ionizing radiation; 2
(b) Develop a statewide radiological baseline beginning with the 3
establishment of a baseline for the Hanford reservation;4
(c) Implement an independent statewide program to monitor 5
ionizing radiation emissions from radiation sources within the state;6
(d) Develop programs with due regard for compatibility with 7
federal programs for regulation of by-product, source, and special 8
nuclear materials; 9
(e) Conduct environmental radiation monitoring programs which 10
will determine the presence and significance of radiation in the 11
environment and which will verify the adequacy and accuracy of 12
environmental radiation monitoring programs conducted by the federal 13
government at its installations in Washington and by radioactive 14
materials licensees at their installations; 15
(f) ((Formulate)) Except as provided in section 2 of this act, 16
formulate, adopt, promulgate, and repeal codes, rules, and 17
regulations relating to control of sources of ionizing radiation;18
(g) Advise, consult, and cooperate with other agencies of the 19
state, the federal government, other states and interstate agencies, 20
political subdivisions, and with groups concerned with control of 21
sources of ionizing radiation; 22
(h) Have the authority to accept and administer loans, grants, or 23
other funds or gifts, conditional or otherwise, in furtherance of its 24
functions, from the federal government and from other sources, public 25
or private; 26
(i) Encourage, participate in, or conduct studies, 27
investigations, training, research, and demonstrations relating to 28
control of sources of ionizing radiation, including the collection of 29
statistical data and epidemiological research, where available, on 30
diseases that result from exposure to sources of ionizing radiation;31
(j) Collect and disseminate information relating to control of 32
sources of ionizing radiation; including: 33
(i) Maintenance of a file of all license applications, issuances, 34
denials, amendments, transfers, renewals, modifications, suspensions, 35
and revocations; 36
(ii) Maintenance of a file of registrants possessing sources of 37
ionizing radiation requiring registration under the provisions of 38
this chapter and any administrative or judicial action pertaining 39
thereto; and 40
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(iii) Maintenance of a file of all rules and regulations relating 1
to regulation of sources of ionizing radiation, pending or 2
promulgated, and proceedings thereon; 3
(k) Collect and disseminate information relating to nonionizing 4
radiation, including: 5
(i) Maintaining a state clearinghouse of information pertaining 6
to sources and effects of nonionizing radiation with an emphasis on 7
electric and magnetic fields; 8
(ii) Maintaining current information on the status and results of 9
studies pertaining to health effects resulting from exposure to 10
nonionizing radiation with an emphasis on studies pertaining to 11
electric and magnetic fields; 12
(iii) Serving as the lead state agency on matters pertaining to 13
electric and magnetic fields and periodically informing state 14
agencies of relevant information pertaining to nonionizing radiation;15
(l) In connection with any adjudicative proceeding as defined by 16
RCW 34.05.010 or any other administrative proceedings as provided for 17
in this chapter, have the power to issue subpoenas in order to compel 18
the attendance of necessary witnesses and/or the production of 19
records or documents. 20
(5) In order to avoid duplication of efforts, the agency may 21
acquire the data requested under this section from public and private 22
entities that possess this information. 23
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