HB 1388 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning mobile market programs.

HB 1388 establishes a mobile market program in Washington to expand access to fresh, healthy food for low-income households participating in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and senior farmers market nutrition programs. The bill allows nonprofit mobile markets - operating in areas without farmers markets - to accept these nutrition benefits, directly supporting rural and food desert communities. Key provisions require mobile markets to be nonprofit, serve underserved areas, and obtain USDA approval via waiver to accept benefits. This policy change modernizes existing federal nutrition programs by extending access to mobile food services, benefiting both participants and local farmers.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reclassified from a standard House Bill to a Substitute House Bill, indicating it has been amended by a committee. The sponsors list was updated to reflect the committee's involvement, and the effective date was significantly delayed from May 1, 2025, to March 1, 2026. The act's title was slightly shortened by removing the declaration of an emergency.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the creation of a mobile market program for low-income areas remains unchanged, but the timeline for implementation has been extended by approximately ten months.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the act was changed from May 1, 2025, to March 1, 2026, delaying when the new mobile market program can begin.

TECHNICAL

The bill type changed from 'House Bill' to 'Substitute House Bill,' and the sponsor list was updated to include the House Early Learning & Human Services committee.

The phrase 'declaring an emergency' was removed from the act's description, meaning the law no longer claims immediate necessity for public safety.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 9:00 AM.

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 1:30 PM.

lower

1 primary · 17 co-sponsors