Healthcare

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 · House May 20, 2025

HB 1468: Concerning accounts.

HB 1468 repeals numerous existing state accounts across various sectors, such as the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Account and the Washington State Flag Account. Simultaneously, it establishes an annual eight-dollar surcharge on licenses for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. These surcharge funds will be deposited into a new Nursing Resource Center Account. This account will provide grants to a central nursing resource center. The center's mission is to strengthen Washington's nursing workforce through activities like data collection, trend monitoring, and promoting nursing careers to ensure adequate healthcare staffing.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates $8 annual surcharge on nurse licenses to fund Nursing Resource Center grants, strengthening nursing workforce support per bill's mission to strengthen Washington's healthcare capacity.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1709: Addressing the care of students with adrenal insufficiency by parent-designated adults.

HB 1709 authorizes trained, parent-designated adults to provide care, including administering emergency medication, to students with adrenal insufficiency in Washington public schools. The bill requires school districts to develop individual health plans for these students and adopt policies for their care, such as medication storage and emergency procedures. Parent-designated adults must volunteer, be authorized by the student's parents, and complete specific training. This legislation also extends liability protection to school districts, employees, and these designated adults who act in good faith according to the student's health plan. This measure aims to ensure students with adrenal insufficiency receive necessary medical support when a school nurse is not available.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates school health protocols for students with medical needs, ensuring educational access and safety in schools through required individual health plans and trained personnel.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill ensures access to emergency medication for students with adrenal insufficiency via trained parent-designated adults and mandates school health plans, directly improving patient access to critical care services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1427: Concerning certified peer support specialists.

This bill, HB 1427, is titled "Concerning certified peer support specialists." The provided text details amendments to state contracting for behavioral health services, affecting Medicaid recipients and other eligible individuals. It mandates the state's health authority to adopt statewide network adequacy standards for behavioral health providers within managed care organizations, ensuring timely access to mental health and substance use disorder treatments. The bill also outlines criteria for selecting managed care organizations, emphasizing experience with low-income populations and integrated care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates statewide network adequacy standards for behavioral health providers to ensure timely access to mental health/substance use treatments, advancing patient access under healthcare policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1811: Enhancing crisis response services through co-response integration and support.

Substitute House Bill 1811 aims to enhance crisis response services in Washington state by integrating and supporting "co-response" teams. The bill formalizes co-response as a multidisciplinary partnership between first responders (like law enforcement and EMTs) and human services professionals (such as social workers and behavioral health clinicians). These teams respond to emergency situations, including 911 and 988 calls, involving behavioral health crises and complex medical needs. The goal is to de-escalate situations, divert individuals from the criminal justice system, and provide immediate medical and behavioral health care in the field, benefiting vulnerable populations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill replaces police-only crisis response with co-response teams (social workers + EMTs), reducing criminalization of mental health crises and aligning with reform goals to divert from traditional law enforcement handling.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIntegrates behavioral health clinicians into co-response teams for mental health crises, enhancing crisis services and aligning with mental health support indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House May 17, 2025

HB 1162: Concerning workplace violence in health care settings.

HB 1162 requires all health care settings in Washington to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan to protect their employees. These plans must address factors such as physical security, staffing patterns, employee training, and procedures for reporting violent acts. The bill mandates annual reviews and updates of these plans and requires health care settings to conduct timely investigations into every workplace violence incident. Findings from these investigations, along with incident data, must be regularly summarized and submitted to a relevant workplace committee to identify systemic causes and recommend plan modifications.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates workplace violence prevention plans for healthcare settings, directly protecting medical professionals and supporting healthcare service delivery as defined in the topic.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires healthcare safety plans, training, and investigations to protect employees from workplace violence, directly improving workplace safety protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 5351: Ensuring patient choice and access to care by prohibiting unfair and deceptive dental insurance practices.

Senate Bill 5351 aims to ensure patient choice and access to dental care by regulating dental insurance practices. It prohibits dental-only plans from denying coverage solely because multiple procedures were performed on the same day, while still allowing denials for reasons like fraud or medical necessity. The bill also requires dental insurers to offer providers a fee-free alternative if they pay claims using credit cards. Additionally, it mandates annual public reporting of dental-only plan financial data and establishes a collaborative forum to study dental loss ratios and provider payment rates, with recommendations due by June 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits unfair dental insurance denials, ensures access to care, and mandates transparency - directly advancing patient access and rights in dental coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House May 12, 2025

HB 1432: Improving access to appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services.

HB 1432 aims to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services for individuals in Washington state. The bill updates mental health parity laws, requiring health insurance carriers to base medical necessity determinations on generally accepted standards of care and recommendations from nonprofit health care provider associations. It defines "medically necessary" to align with these standards, ensuring services address patient needs and are clinically appropriate. The legislation also expands the definition of covered mental health services over time, including prescription drugs and updated diagnostic categories for health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareUpdates mental health parity laws to require insurance coverage based on clinical standards, improving access to mental health services per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 5745: Concerning appointed counsel for individuals detained under the involuntary treatment act.

Senate Bill 5745 concerns legal representation for individuals detained under the involuntary treatment act. The bill amends various state laws to address the provisions for appointed legal counsel in these cases. It aims to clarify or modify how legal representation is provided for those facing involuntary commitment, directly affecting individuals subject to the act and the legal systems involved.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures legal representation for individuals in involuntary mental health treatment, protecting patient rights within healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare