Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2088: Concerning the dietitian licensure compact.

HB 2088 creates a multi-state licensure compact for dietitians, allowing licensed professionals to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses in each location. The bill establishes a "compact privilege" that recognizes a dietitian's home-state license as valid in other member states, eliminating the need for duplicate licensing. It directly affects licensed dietitians (especially those relocating, including military members and spouses), patients seeking care across state lines, and participating states' regulatory systems. Key mechanisms include standardized requirements for practice, shared data systems for disciplinary information, and provisions to protect public health while reducing administrative burdens on both professionals and states.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves licensing barriers for dietitians across states, improving patient access to specialized care and supporting healthcare provider mobility.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2152: Permitting the medical use of cannabis by qualifying patients in specified health care facilities.

HB 2152, titled "Ryan's law," allows terminally ill patients with a qualifying medical condition to use cannabis in hospitals, nursing homes (excluding some residential facilities), and hospice care centers starting January 1, 2027. Facilities must establish written policies prohibiting smoking/vaping, requiring secure storage, documenting use in medical records, and having patients or their designated providers manage cannabis. Patients must provide valid authorization, and staff cannot administer or retrieve cannabis. The law excludes emergency departments and does not require facilities to comply if federal agencies block it, though it clarifies federal scheduling alone cannot override the policy.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands patient access to medical cannabis within healthcare facilities, aligning with treatment options and patient rights in healthcare settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2113: Concerning the supervision of diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.

HB 2113 updates Washington State's supervision rules for diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists. It allows these professionals to perform certain injections (like IV contrast) under virtual supervision via real-time video (excluding audio-only) or direct supervision by physicians, advanced nurses, or physician assistants. The bill also requires trained clinical staff to be present during IV contrast administration to handle potential adverse reactions. These changes specifically affect technologists working under physician oversight in medical settings.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows radiologic technologists to perform IV contrast under virtual supervision, improving access to imaging services without requiring constant physician presence.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed both · Washington · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SJM 8002: Concerning Medicare.

Senate Joint Memorial 8002 is a resolution from the Washington State Legislature to the federal government concerning Medicare. It expresses opposition to Medicare privatization and urges federal action to create a more equitable system between Original Medicare and private Medicare Advantage plans. The memorial specifically requests the federal government to eliminate Original Medicare's 20 percent copays, add benefits like dental and vision, cap out-of-pocket medical expenses, and eliminate excessive administrative costs and profits within Medicare Advantage. It also seeks to recoup funds from documented overpayments and fraud in Medicare Advantage programs to support a stronger Original Medicare system for seniors and disabled beneficiaries.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill opposes Medicare privatization, seeks to eliminate copays, add dental/vision benefits, and cap out-of-pocket costs - directly advancing equitable healthcare access and strengthening Medicare coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed both · Washington · House Mar 6, 2026

HB 2168: Facilitating the rapid sharing of overdose mapping information for overdose prevention.

HB 2168 creates a real-time overdose mapping system to help prevent opioid overdoses in Washington. It requires emergency medical services (like ambulances and aid services) to submit anonymized data - such as location, time, whether reversal medication was used, and fatality status - within 24 hours of treating an overdose to a centralized program. This data helps health and public safety agencies quickly identify overdose hotspots and deploy targeted prevention efforts, like public education or treatment resources, without using the information for law enforcement. The bill explicitly prohibits using the data for criminal investigations or identifying individuals, ensuring privacy protections for those seeking care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates real-time overdose mapping system to identify hotspots and deploy prevention efforts, strengthening public health response to opioid crisis.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5629: Concerning coverage requirements for prosthetic limbs and custom orthotic braces.

SB 5629 mandates that large group health plans in Washington, issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, must include coverage for medically necessary prosthetic limbs and custom orthotic braces. This coverage applies when devices are needed for daily living, essential job activities, or to maximize physical function. The bill also requires coverage for materials, instruction, and reasonable repair or replacement of these devices. It prohibits denying coverage for individuals with disabilities if similar services would be covered for non-disabled persons and requires health plans to report claims data.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates coverage for prosthetics and orthotics in health plans, expanding access to necessary medical devices for daily living and job functions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5388: Concerning department of corrections behavioral health certification.

Senate Bill 5388 revises how behavioral health services, including substance use disorder treatment, are regulated for individuals in Washington state correctional facilities. Rather than requiring these services to be licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), the bill shifts to a monitoring process. The Department of Corrections (DOC) and DOH will jointly establish standards for these services, which the DOH will then monitor through annual inspections for compliance. The DOC must implement these standards by July 1, 2027, with DOH beginning annual inspections and providing technical assistance from that date forward.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill revises behavioral health oversight in prisons to improve treatment access, aligning with rehabilitation-focused criminal justice reform by shifting to joint standards with annual monitoring.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes joint DOC-DOH standards for behavioral health services in prisons, ensuring continued access to mental health/substance use treatment through monitoring, not licensing, strengthening care delivery.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5568: Updating and modernizing the Washington state health plan.

This bill updates and modernizes the Washington state health plan by revising the duties of the Office of Financial Management (OFM) regarding health planning. It designates OFM as the coordinating body for strategic health planning and expands its access to various health care data sources, such as the all-payer claims database, to inform its efforts. OFM is now required to develop a statewide health resources strategy, in coordination with stakeholders, to establish policies and goals for health care facility and service availability, quality, and cost by geographic region. The bill also updates definitions for various health facilities, including changing "psychiatric hospitals" to "behavioral health hospitals."

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill modernizes health planning by designating OFM as coordinator, expands data access for strategic planning, and mandates statewide health resources strategy development to strengthen system coordination and resource allocation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5101: Expanding access to leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents.

SB 5101 expands existing Washington State protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking to also include employees who are victims of hate crimes or bias incidents, or whose family members are victims. The bill allows these employees to take reasonable leave from work, which can be intermittent or on a reduced schedule, with or without pay. This leave can be used for reasons such as seeking legal assistance, medical treatment, counseling, or engaging in safety planning related to the hate crime. Employers are required to provide reasonable safety accommodations and may ask for verification of the incident and the need for leave.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides leave for medical treatment and counseling, directly enabling access to healthcare services for victims of hate crimes.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workplace leave protections to include hate crime victims, strengthening worker safety rights and access to accommodations under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 5291: Implementing the recommendations of the long-term services and supports trust commission.

SB 5291 strengthens the WA Cares long-term care program by implementing recommendations from the long-term services and supports trust commission. The bill allows individuals who have paid into the program for at least three years while working in Washington to continue their participation and eligibility for benefits even if they move out of state. It also establishes a clear process for how the program's benefit unit, currently up to $100, will be adjusted annually for inflation using a specific consumer price index. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of approved services to explicitly include long-term services and supports provided in nursing homes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStrengthens WA Cares long-term care program by expanding eligibility (out-of-state moves) and adjusting benefits for inflation, directly advancing healthcare access and coverage for long-term services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands portability of long-term care benefits for workers, ensuring continued eligibility after relocation and inflation adjustments, directly strengthening employment-related benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare