Surprised hognose snakes haven't been mentioned much yet - they are adorable, have relatively simple requirements, stay very small (especially males) and are are very handleable, not to mention they come in a variety of morphs so you're likely to find something you like. Some are hissy/puffy with some posturing, but very reluctant to actually bite. They're also quite active.
Otherwise, the various small-medium colubrids that have been mentioned are all good; corns, kings and milks are generally simple to care for and tolerant of handling.
I would not consider GTPs 'beginner' snakes, especially not if easy handling is important to you, although that's not from personal experience, so take with a grain of salt.
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