SB 5808 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Funding health insurance premium assistance.

SB 5808 requires nonprofit health insurance carriers in Washington to report their financial surplus annually starting July 1, 2026. If a carrier’s surplus exceeds 600% of its required risk-based capital (RBC), it must pay 3% of the excess amount into a state health care affordability fund by October 1, 2026. This fund will directly support premium assistance programs for Washington residents under existing law. Carriers can request a hearing to challenge the payment if they demonstrate financial hardship, but the law takes effect January 1, 2026.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026

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What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was updated to reflect the 2026 legislative session and transferred to the Ways & Means Committee. The core policy changes redefine how nonprofit health carriers are taxed on their excess profits, shifting the trigger from a risk-based capital percentage to a fixed multiple of minimum net worth, and increasing the required payment rate from 3% to 10%.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly defines 'nonprofit health carrier' to exclude health maintenance organizations (HMOs), narrowing the group of entities subject to this requirement.

TIMELINE

The session year was updated from 2025 to 2026, and the deadline for determining excessive surplus was moved from July 1 to October 1.

REQUIREMENT

The threshold for 'excessive surplus' changed from 600% of risk-based capital requirements to 100 times the minimum net worth level.

The commissioner was granted new authority to reduce payments only if the carrier proves it would become financially impaired.

FISCAL

The required payment of excessive surplus to the state fund increased from 3% to 10%.

DEFINITION

A new definition was added to exclude health maintenance organizations (HMOs) from the bill's applicability.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Mar 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Mar 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:30 AM.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.

upper

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors