Addressing the burden of unintentional overpayments on older adults and adults with disabilities served by the department of social and health services.
Senate Bill 5079 addresses the burden of unintentional overpayments for older adults and adults with disabilities who receive services from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Beginning July 1, 2025, the bill allows DSHS to waive efforts to collect unintentional overpayments from clients in the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program and functionally disabled clients receiving specific services. DSHS must adopt rules to establish the circumstances for granting these waivers. This measure provides a mechanism for DSHS to reduce financial hardship in specific unintentional overpayment cases.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Dec 19, 2024
Signed May 17, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Bill
→
Passed Legislature
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill text was updated to reflect its final passage by the legislature, adding official certification details and signatures. A key policy change was made to the debt collection rules, specifically narrowing the scope of waived collections to only 'unintentional' overpayments for aged, blind, disabled, and functionally disabled clients, rather than all overpayments.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding debt collection was narrowed to apply only to unintentional overpayments for specific vulnerable client groups.
ENFORCEMENT
Added a formal certification of enrollment section with signatures from the Secretary of the Senate and Secretary of State to confirm the bill passed both chambers.
ELIGIBILITY
Modified the debt collection waiver provision to limit exemptions to 'unintentional' overpayments for aged, blind, disabled, and functionally disabled clients, excluding intentional overpayments from the waiver.
TIMELINE
Updated the effective date and session details to reflect the 69th Legislature, 2025 Regular Session, and final passage dates in April 2025.
Floor votes · Senate Apr 17, 2025 · House Apr 11, 2025
How they voted
51–0
Passed
Total votes 51
Apr 17, 2025
D
Democratic31
100% Yea
R
Republican20
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
38
Key actions
19
Committee
17
May 17, 2025
Signed into law
Governor signed.
executive
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
Apr 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
Apr 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed final passage; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.
upper
Apr 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments.
upper
Apr 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
lower
Apr 11, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (95-2-3)
house
Apr 8, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Early Learning & Human Services.
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 4:00 PM.
lower
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Appropriations.
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
ELHS - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 1:30 PM.
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 8:00 AM.
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
WM - Majority; do pass.
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to Ways & Means.
upper
Jan 22, 2025
Committee
And refer to Ways & Means.
upper
Jan 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
HS - Majority; do pass.
upper
Jan 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 8:00 AM.
upper
Jan 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 8:00 AM.
upper
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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