Radiation Safety Standards for the Use of Security Screening Systems

What’s Happening?

We are developing new rules to establish radiation safety standards for the use of security screening systems using ionizing radiation. We are accepting formal comments on draft rules through November 20, 2024 and will be holding a public hearing on November 20, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. Scroll down for more details!

Why?

Second Substitute Senate Bill (2SSB) 5695, Chapter 160, Laws of 2022, codified as RCW 72.09.775, required the Washington State Department of Corrections (corrections) to establish a comprehensive security screening pilot program, using ionizing radiation, as an effort to protect human dignity by reducing or eliminating strip searches and to increase public health and safety by reducing access to drugs and alcohol within correction facilities. Prior to the passage of 2SSB 5695, security screening systems using ionizing radiation were not authorized in Washington state. The practice of intentionally exposing a person to ionizing radiation was previously limited to healing arts purposes. 2SSB 5695 authorized the use of security screening systems using ionizing radiation at two corrections facilities.

The department of health (department) is the state radiation control agency with sole responsibility for administration of regulatory, licensing, and radiation control laws. The department therefore must adopt rules to establish radiation safety standards for the use of ionizing radiation for security purposes to protect public health and safety from overexposure to radiation.

RCW 72.09.775 expired on June 30, 2024 however during the development of these rules, the department discovered that other entities such as local and county jails and juvenile detention centers, are operating these systems. The proposed rules apply to all registrants using security screening systems using ionizing radiation and limit the use to individuals who have been committed to a correctional facility or who have been presented for confinement in a jail or detention facility.

Get Involved!

Formal Comment Period – September 18, 2024 through November 20, 2024

Review draft rules CR-102 (PDF). Submit written comments to Ashlie Laydon or through the department’s rules comment page.

Public Hearing – November 20, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.

Attend the public hearing and let us know what you think! The public hearing will be held on November 20, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. with options to attend in person or virtually.

Attend in person at:
Department of Health, Town Center 2, Room 166
111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501

Register to attend virtually via Zoom. 

Rulemaking Files

Contacts

Ashlie Laydon, Rules Coordinator

Christopher Smith, Radiation Health Physicist

Richard Montemarano, Radiation Health Physicist