SB 5993 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Prohibiting interest charges for new and unpaid medical debt.

SB 5993 caps interest charges on new and unpaid medical debt at 1% per year, directly affecting patients with outstanding medical bills. The bill amends Washington law to prohibit interest above this rate, including for debt accrued before or after a court judgment. It excludes from the cap certain medical debt that is invalid, waived under state law, or unenforceable. This policy change reduces financial burdens for individuals struggling with medical debt while maintaining existing legal enforcement mechanisms for valid claims.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 6, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Engrossed Substitute Bill · 4 edits · Feb 6, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was formally enacted as an 'Engrossed Substitute Bill' and updated to apply new interest rate limits to medical debt accruing after December 31, 2026. The changes clarify that interest is capped at one percent per year for new medical debt and expand protections to include cases where hospitals fail to complete required charity care screenings or where debt is deemed unenforceable.

Scope change

The bill's applicability is now explicitly limited to medical debt accrued after December 31, 2026, and broadened to cover situations involving charity care screening failures.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new interest rate cap was updated to apply to medical debt accrued after December 31, 2026.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of protected medical debt now includes cases where the hospital has not completed required charity care screening and initial determination.

ENFORCEMENT

A new provision requires that any interest charged on debt portions later reduced or eliminated due to charity care or legal unenforceability must be refunded.

DEFINITION

The criteria for debt being 'not legally enforceable' was clarified to include determinations by a court of competent jurisdiction or by operation of law.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2026

How they voted

31–19

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 51

Feb 6, 2026

D Democratic31

30 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican20

1 Yea 19 Nay

95% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

CRJ - Majority; do pass.

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10:30 AM.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 8:00 AM.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.

upper

1 primary · 15 co-sponsors