Washington State Lawmaker Introduces K-12 Bill Including Vape Detectors for Schools

A bill introduced by Washington state lawmaker Travis Couture would create a grant program for schools to purchase and install vape detectors.

Under House Bill 1922, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Health would be responsible for establishing and administering the program, as well as reviewing applications. The proposal does not specify an appropriation amount. School districts would need to demonstrate the “need for detectors” based on the Healthy Youth Survey or other state or local data on student health practices or trends.

School districts that receive funding would be required to provide OSPI with annual reports detailing the effectiveness of the detectors and other health-promotion measures used to curb the use of e-cigarette products on school grounds.