RICHMOND, Va. -- A state lawmaker has submitted legislation in this year's session of the General Assembly with an aim to address drug overdoses in state prisons.
Del. Holly Seibold (D - Fairfax County (part)) said the "Safe Harbor" bill will allow inmates to report a drug problem, addiction, or overdose, without fear of being punished.
"There's no penalties associated with it. We want to keep people alive and this bill will do that," said Seibold.
CBS 6 has done extensivereportingon the conditions in Virginia's prisons -- including the issues of deadly drug overdoses.
Friday, the recently appointed director of the Department of Corrections (VADOC), Chad Dotson, a retired judge, touched on the topic while briefing the House Public Safety Committee about VADOC's plans to close four state-run facilities and take over operation of the one privately-operated prison, Lawrenceville Correctional Center.
"We've been frustrated by some of the issues. I mean, the data shows that the overdoses, the violent incidences, the deaths, more come from Lawrenceville than any of the state-run prisons. I believe that the data shows that our model can run that more safely and more effectively," Dotson told lawmakers.
"It's probably the highest priority we have at this moment is to make sure that contraband is not coming in," Dotson told CBS 6 afterward. "Because fentanyl is poisoning Virginians, poisoning Americans, and we don't want that to happen in our facilities."
Dotson said VADOC has been focused on addressing contraband in facilities, especially Greensville, with efforts to search mail, visitors, and staff.
"It's coming in through employees. That's just the fact of the matter is that we're trying to attack that that problem as well."
Case in point, several hours after Dotson addressed lawmakers, VADOC sent out a news release a contracted staff member was charged with attempting to smuggle tobacco into Indian Creek Correctional Center on Wednesday, January 3.
The concept is getting support from the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia.
"The problem that you have fundamentally, and I saw this during my time in prison, with overdoses in the prisons is people aren't reporting," said ACLU policy strategist Shawn Weneta, who spent 16 years in prison. "It's not because there's a lack of Narcan. It's not because there's a lack of services available to get to a person when they overdose. The problem is they're not finding out about the overdoses fast enough."
Weneta said that even if prisons were fully staffed, those staff still require inmates to report issues.
"We know that it's happening…The fundamental problem is it is not safe for people that are incarcerated to go and report that overdose because they'll get taken to segregation and they'll lose the privileges and opportunities they have within the facilities," who added this is a problem in regional jails as well. "Make it the same as if you're safe to report an overdose on the street without fear of arrest or prosecution…We need to make that same protection apply to jail and prison discipline…We're not asking for a carrot. But, please take the stick away. Make it safe to report these overdoses so people can get the help they need and they can get it quickly because they need help fast."
When asked about the proposed legislation, a spokesperson for VADOC said "[t]he VADOC does not routinely comment on active or pending legislation. The VADOC is, however, studying the legislation in conjunction with the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security."
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said Del. Seibold was going to submit the legislation. It was filed on January 2.
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