Green Hill school contraband

AN ACT Relating to reducing introduction of contraband into Green 1
Hill school; adding a new section to chapter 13.40 RCW; and creating 2
a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that a body scanner 5
pilot program in the department of corrections was highly successful 6
at mitigating the introduction of contraband to adult corrections 7
facilities. The department of corrections body scanner pilot program 8
led to the detection of suboxone strips and pills, methamphetamine, 9
prescription pills, fentanyl soaked marijuana, and THC gummies. 10
Between 2019 and 2023, the program led to the confiscation of nearly 11
1,000 unique items, over 43 grams of drugs, and over $100 in cash.12
The legislature further finds that such a program would reduce 13
the introduction of contraband to Green Hill school and would promote 14
a safer, drug-free facility. Contraband continues to be a serious 15
threat to the safety and security of Green Hill school. In 2023, a 16
joint narcotics enforcement team collected 114 bags of contraband 17
from within Green Hill school. Among the contraband were cell phones, 18
vape pens, gummies, and heroin. 19
Since then, problems with contraband have persisted at Green Hill 20
school with employees and former employees continuing to introduce 21
S-3657.1
SENATE BILL 6021
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator Christian
Prefiled 01/07/26.
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contraband into the facility. The introduction of contraband into 1
Green Hill school severely impacts the ability of the department of 2
children, youth, and families to engage in rehabilitative programming 3
and harms both inmates and staff. 4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 13.40 5
RCW to read as follows: 6
(1)(a) The department shall establish a comprehensive body 7
scanner program at Green Hill school as part of a program to protect 8
human dignity and create drug-free state juvenile rehabilitation 9
facilities. The body scanner for inmates must be capable of detecting 10
the presence of contraband contained under clothing and within body 11
cavities, and must meet applicable federal radiation and safety 12
standards. 13
(b) The department shall develop gender-responsive and trauma-14
informed policies and procedures necessary to establish a 15
comprehensive body scanner program that shall be utilized to conduct 16
security screenings for employees, contractors, visitors, volunteers, 17
inmates, and other persons entering the secure perimeter of the 18
facility participating in the program under this section. Alternative 19
search methods shall be used for persons who are minors, individuals 20
who are health compromised, individuals with disabilities, 21
individuals who may be pregnant, and individuals who are likely to 22
meet the maximum allowable monthly or annual radiation dosage limit 23
specified by federal radiation and safety standards.24
(2) The department shall provide appropriate custody and nursing 25
staff levels for body scanners installed at Green Hill school under 26
this section. Staffing must be adequate to provide for subsequent 27
searches if a body scan indicates the presence of contraband.28
(a) An inmate with a body scan indicating the presence of 29
substance-related contraband shall undergo, if appropriate, a 30
comprehensive assessment for substance use disorder and receive 31
relevant substance use disorder treatment services, including 32
medication-assisted treatment. The department shall prioritize 33
substance use disorder treatment services for inmates with cognitive, 34
behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating the inmate is 35
experiencing a substance use disorder. The department shall 36
distinguish between inmates who have symptoms indicating a substance 37
use disorder and inmates who transport substances for other 38
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individuals and do not have symptoms indicating a substance use 1
disorder. 2
(b) A department employee, contractor, visitor, or volunteer with 3
a body scan indicating the presence of contraband shall be 4
disciplined in accordance with department policies and referred to 5
law enforcement. 6
(3)(a) The department shall provide appropriate radiation safety 7
and body scanner operation training to all staff who will administer 8
the body scan. Only staff who have completed all related trainings 9
may be permitted to operate the body scanner and review body scans. 10
The department shall develop policies for the use of body scanners, 11
on scanner use and screening procedures, including frequency and 12
radiation exposure limits, to minimize harmful radiation exposure 13
while safely and effectively utilizing the full-body scanners to 14
create drug-free correctional facilities. The department shall 15
develop a method to track and maintain records on the frequency of 16
body scans conducted on any individual subject to the comprehensive 17
body scanner program to comply with any maximum allowable monthly and 18
annual radiation dosage limits that may be set by federal radiation 19
and safety standards. 20
(b) At minimum, these policies must provide for the scanning of 21
any department employee, contractor, visitor, or volunteer for each 22
entry into the secure perimeter of the facility. 23
(4) The secretary shall adopt any rules and policies necessary to 24
implement the requirements of this section. 25
(5) The department shall leverage existing funding and equipment 26
to comply with the requirements of this section. 27
(6) By December 1st each year, and in compliance with RCW 28
43.01.036, the department shall submit a report to the governor and 29
the legislature on: 30
(a) The number and types of individuals, including visitors, 31
employees, contractors, and volunteers, with positive body scans in 32
the prior year and the action taken; 33
(b) The types of contraband detected by the body scanner;34
(c) The number of confiscated substances in the prior five years; 35
and 36
(d) The number of inmates with positive body scans for substance-37
related contraband in the prior year who were assessed for substance 38
use disorder and received substance use disorder treatment services 39
while incarcerated. 40
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(7) For the purposes of this section: 1
(a) "Contraband" has the meaning provided in RCW 9A.76.010; and2
(b) "Substance use disorder treatment services" means services 3
licensed by the department of health or provided as part of a 4
substance use disorder treatment program that has been approved by 5
the department of health. 6
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