SB 6188 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning the department of labor and industries' authority to enact rules related to regulating asbestos training.

SB 6188 sets training and certification requirements for asbestos workers and supervisors in Washington. It mandates four-day training for workers and five-day training for supervisors, covering health/safety topics like protective gear, disposal, and air monitoring, with all courses requiring Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) approval. L&I can only adopt rules specifically needed to meet federal standards, not exceed them. This directly affects contractors, employers, and workers handling asbestos, ensuring minimum training standards while allowing for stricter employer requirements.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Mar 2026
Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Signed Mar 24, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill Passed Legislature · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill added a formal certification of enrollment page to the document and modified the asbestos worker training requirements. The most significant change is the addition of new criteria for department rules, requiring them to be based on best evidence and practices while being the least burdensome to applicants. This ensures that future regulations balance safety with practicality.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding the document structure expanded to include a certification of enrollment, while the scope of regulatory authority was clarified to include specific constraints on how rules are adopted.
TECHNICAL

Added a formal 'Certification of Enrollment' page to the beginning of the bill text.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements stating that any department rules for asbestos certification must be based on the best available evidence and established best practices.

Added a requirement that department rules must be the least burdensome to applicants necessary to address safety and health hazards.

Removed a parenthetical note limiting the director's rule-making authority, as the new text now explicitly defines those limits.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2026 · House Mar 3, 2026

How they voted

3219
Passed
Total votes 51
Mar 10, 2026
D Democratic31
31 Yea
100% 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
27
Key actions
14
Committee
9
Mar 24, 2026
Signed into law
Governor signed.
executive
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed final passage; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments.
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Minority; without recommendation.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
LAWS - Majority; do pass.
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.
lower
Feb 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
LC - Majority; do pass.
upper
Jan 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30 AM.
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors