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
32–19
Passed
Total votes 51
Mar 10, 2026
D
Democratic31
100% Yea
R
Republican20
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
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Victoria Hunt
DDemocratic
Co
Steve Conway
DDemocratic
Co
T'wina Nobles
DDemocratic
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about SB 6188
Scope: WA
Hi! I can help you understand SB 6188. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline