Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Bill would require immediate reporting of serious incidents at private detention centers
Summary
A bill before the House Committee on Community Safety would require private detention facilities with recent or modified contracts to report serious incidents to the Department of Health and local law enforcement within one business day and require annual law‑enforcement reporting to DOH beginning Nov. 1, 2026. Supporters said the change would increase transparency at two facilities in Washington; opponents warned about overlap and administrative burden.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Lawmakers heard testimony Jan. 19 on House Bill 24-64, which would require private detention facilities with contracts effective on or after Jan. 1, 2023 (or modified after that date) to report serious incidents — including allegations of abuse, suicide, inpatient-level injuries, deaths and major service disruptions — to the state Department of Health and the local law enforcement agency within one business day.
Supporters framed the measure as a transparency fix for two facilities that fall under the bill’s definition. Representative Lillian Ortiz Self, the bill sponsor, told the House Committee on Community Safety that advocacy groups, researchers and family members have reported abuse, hunger strikes and suicides at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma and another facility in Eastern Washington and that public reporting of incidents would provide clarity about conditions and responses.
“This isn’t anything new,” Ortiz Self said. “We ask that, just because you’re…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
