Week 8 in Olympia: Worker protections bill passes, title protection signed by Gov and more

Week 8 legislative session overview

As the final week of the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session approaches, a growing number of lawmakers are announcing that they will not seek reelection, signaling notable turnover ahead of the next biennium. The wave of departures includes veteran members and relatively newer legislators alike, reflecting a mix of retirements, career transitions, and bids for other offices. These announcements come as lawmakers race to finalize budgets and reconcile policy differences before the March 12 adjournment. At this time, rumors are circulating for many additional vacancies, but the following members have formally announced:

House:

• 4th LD - Schmidt (R) running for Spokane County Commissioner
• 6th LD - Volz (R) elected Spokane Co. Treasurer
• 6th LD - Graham (R) not running
• 15th LD - Dufault (R) running for Senate
• 26th LD - Valdez (Caldier) (R) not running *swing district
• 29th LD - Mena (D) running for Senate (opens H State Gov Chairship)
• 32nd LD - Ryu (D) challenging Salomon (opens H TED&V Chairship)
• 49th LD - Wylie (D) running for Clark County Auditor

Senate:

• 15th LD - Torres (R) running for 8th LD
• 29th LD - Conway (D) not running
• 37th LD - Saldaña (D) running for King County Council (opens S Labor & Commerce Chairship)
• 42nd LD - Shewmake (D) not running (opens S EE&T Chairship) *swing district

The departures will reshape committee leadership, caucus dynamics, and institutional knowledge in 2027, setting the stage for a period of recalibration in both chambers and for both parties. That timing could prove consequential for the Millionaires’ tax, which currently awaits a House floor vote next week, if it does not pass and receive Ferguson’s signature this session.

If you are a nurse who has considered running for office and live in any of the districts named above, now is a great time to consider! We currently have 0 nurses in the legislature.

Last week HB 2155 passed out of the Senate andon March 3rd it was delivered to the Governor for signature. Since this bill was delivered to the Governor prior to the last 5 days of legislative session, he has five days to sign the bill into law.

Reminder, this bill amends the Nurse Practice Act to assure that anyone using the term “nurse” must, in fact, be a human. This bill was created in light of how quickly we are seeing artificial intelligence (AI) move into healthcare. It is a foundational piece of legislation as WSNA works with fellow stakeholders to determine appropriate next steps around the regulation of AI in healthcare because while it can be a helpful clinical support tool, it should never take the place of humans.

Special thanks to Representative Edwin Obras as the prime sponsor for this bill and to Senator Jessica Bateman as the prime sponsor of its companion bill in the Senate.

Next steps: HB 2155 is scheduled to be signed by the Governor on Monday, March 9 at 9am. You can watch the bill signing here. Upon signing, it goes into effect June 30, 2027.

HB 2360 passed the Senate floor on February 28 with an amendment. The bill now must go back to the House floor for a concurrence vote in order to pass.

Next steps: HB 2360 awaits a concurrence vote on the House side.

Last week the House and Senate passed their operating budgets (HB 2289 and SB 5998). Each total approximately $79.2–$79.3 billion, an increase from the enacted biennial budget of about $77.8 billion. While neither the House nor Senate budget proposed across the board cuts to hospitals or core Medicaid funding, they did include program changes that reduce state healthcare spending such as caseload adjustments and the House’s elimination of certain therapy coverage. Both budgets also assume passage of SB 6346, aka the Millionaire’s tax.

It is also important to note that while this year’s budgets have not fully captured the anticipated impacts of HR 1 at the federal level, we should start to understand the scale of those impacts as early as next legislative session. As a reminder, those cuts are estimated to be to the tune of about $3 billion annually.

After a great deal of negotiation, Governor Ferguson issued a statement in support of the Millionaire's tax on Friday morning. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on SB 6346 in the coming days. As a reminder, SB 6346 is not subject to typical policy deadlines as it is considered necessary to implement the budget (NTIB).  More to come next week as lawmakers continue to pass remaining bills and conference in order to produce the final budget by sine die on March 12.

On March 4th HB 2471 was passed in the Senate by a vote of 31-18 with no amendments added. The bill has been signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House. It was delivered to the Governor’s office on March 6.

Next steps: HB 2471 now awaits the Governor's final signature into law.

The legislature considers hundreds of bills outside our own legislative priorities. Here is a list of bills we’re watching as they move through the legislative process that may impact members. We will continue adding bills to this list as we move through the legislative session. You may click on any of the links below to learn more about each bill and where it is at in the legislative process.

• PASSED HB 2155 - Concerning the use of nursing titles.
• HB 2113 - Concerning the supervision of diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.
• PASSED HB 2152 - Permitting the medical use of cannabis by qualifying patients in specified health care facilities.
• PASSED HB 2303 - Prohibiting employers from microchipping employees.
• PASSED HB 2345 - Concerning contributions in the state paid family and medical leave program.
• PASSED HB 2471 - Concerning collective bargaining for employees not covered by the national labor relations act.
• PASSED HB 2577 - Concerning hospital inspections.
• PASSED SB 5917 / HB 2182 - Improving access to abortion medications.
• PASSED SB 5923 - Concerning critical access hospital designations in Skagit county.
• PASSED SB 6025 - Updating the definition of fetal death.
• PASSED SB 6134 - Concerning notice to striking workers applying for unemployment insurance benefits of potential overpayment assessment upon receipt of retroactive wages.
• HB 2105 / SB 5852 - Concerning immigrant worker protections.
• HB 2110 - Concerning personnel for ambulance service interfacility specialty care transports.
• HB 2225 / SB 5984 - Concerning regulation of artificial intelligence companion chatbots.
• HB 2264 - Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for workers separated from employment because of employer-initiated layoffs or workforce reductions.
• HB 2289 /SB 5998 - Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
• HB 2339 - Concerning the regulation of nursing.
• HB 2360 / SB 5951 – Expanding access to albuterol in public and private schools.
• HB 2548 - Strengthening health care market standards.
• SB 5845 - Modernizing and clarifying timely payment requirements for health carriers.
• SB 5981 / HB 2145 - Protecting patient access to discounted medications and health care services through Washington's health care safety net by preventing manufacturer limitations on the 340B drug pricing program.
• SB 5956 - Addressing artificial intelligence, student discipline, and surveillance in public schools.
• SB 5968 / HB 2198 - Improving regulatory efficiency by integrating executive order 25-03, concerning permitting and licensing processes, into chapter 43.42A RCW.
• SB 5993 - Prohibiting interest charges for new and unpaid medical debt.
• SB 6346 - Establishing a tax on millionaires.
• DEAD  SB 6115 – Concerning comprehensive cancer education programs.
• DEAD  SSB 6284 - Providing consumer protections for artificial intelligence systems.
• DEAD  HB 2073 - Funding health insurance premium assistance.
• DEAD  HB 2683 - Promoting transparency and efficiency in health carrier relations with health care providers and facilities.
• DEAD  HB 2498 - Concerning nursing education program standards.
• DEAD  HB 1812 - Concerning patient-centered equitable access to anesthesia services and reimbursement.
• DEAD  HB 2242 / SB 5967- Preserving access to preventive services by clarifying state authority and definitions.
• DEAD  HB 2250 - Concerning residency requirements for charity care.
• DEAD  SB 5947 - Establishing the Washington health care board.
• DEAD  SJR 8206 - Amending the Constitution to establish a right to affordable health care.
• DEAD  SB 5823 - Concerning patient advocates.
• DEAD  SB 6292 - Establishing a joint legislative executive committee on health care financing.
• DEAD  HB 2382 - Concerning excise taxes on cigarettes, vapor products, and tobacco products.
• DEAD  HB 2122 - Requiring hospitals to offer immunizations for influenza in certain cases.
• DEAD  HB 2144 - Requiring notices to employees when electronic monitoring is used to assist employers conducting performance evaluations.
• DEAD  HB 2157 - Regulating high-risk artificial intelligence system development, deployment, and use.
• DEAD  HB 2106 - Requiring carriers to provide substantive notice to health care providers and health care facilities about significant contract modifications.
• DEAD  HB 2329 - Concerning midwife supervision of medical assistants and lactation consultants.
• DEAD  HB 2148 - Creating the pay it forward program.
• DEAD  SB 5826 - Concerning access at public postsecondary educational institutions to medication abortion.
• DEAD  SB 5990 - Expanding the qualifications of those who may serve as a local health officer in rural counties.
• DEAD  HB 1496 - Strengthening patients' rights regarding their health care information.
• DEAD  HB 2196 - Expanding access to PANDA PANS treatment.
• DEAD  SB 6071 - Standardizing overpayment recovery requirements.
• DEAD  HB 2372 / SB 6067 - Concerning workers' compensation benefits.
• DEAD  HB 2439 - Enhancing public health by modifying cigarette, vapor product, and tobacco product policy.
• DEAD  HB 1828 - Authorizing certain health professions to act as physician substitutes for plasma source donation centers.
• DEAD  SB 6031 - Enhancing public safety and enforcement of crimes that impact insurance.
• DEAD  SB 5652 - Reducing environmental and health disparities and improving the health of Washington state residents in large port districts.
• DEAD  HB 2261 - Ensuring transparency in credentials and communications between patients and health care professionals.
• DEAD  SB 6107/HB 2425 - Concerning nursing delegation.
• DEAD  HB 2098 - Adjusting higher education funding.
• DEAD  SB 5985 - Concerning endometriosis.
• DEAD  HB 2100 - Enacting an excise tax on large operating companies on the amount of payroll expenses above the minimum wage threshold of the additional medicare tax to fund services to benefit Washingtonians and establishing the Well Washington fund account.

Interested in learning more about the legislative process? See below for resources.

• How does a bill become a law? Find out here.
• How do I read a bill? Click here to learn.
• To view the Washington State Labor Council’s 2026 Legislative Priorities: click here.

Participating in legislative session is just one way to be civically engaged. As the end of session nears, new opportunities exist to learn how to get more involved in the work we do in Government Affairs. Take a look at the opportunities below.

The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, in partnership with its affiliated unions, is hosting Path to Power: A Political Candidate Training Program, April 21-23, 2026. Location is still to be determined; past trainings have typically taken place in King County or Olympia. This training provides union members and local community activists with the tools and tips to run a successful political campaign and get elected to build power and bring shared prosperity to working communities. Learn more about the program here.

WSNA will sponsor registration fees for up to five WSNA members to attend on a first come, first served basis. Participants are responsible for their own travel, lodging and food expenses. To express your interest, email gov@wsna.org no later than Monday, March 9. 

Interested in participating in legislative advocacy but not sure where to start? WSNA has you covered with our on-demand Introduction to Legislative Advocacy training. This course covers the basic operations of the state legislature, how to be an effective advocate, and why nurse voices are critical to advancing strong policy in Washington state. It is posted to our website at the link above and available to all – including students who wish to learn more about this topic.

As an added bonus, 1.75 CNE contact hours are available upon completion of this program and respective materials. To take the training for 1.75 CNE, visit WSNA’s Continuing Education site here: Introduction to Legislative Advocacy.

• March 9 – Path to Power deadline for WSNA sponsorship
• March 12 – Sine Die (last day of session)
• April 21-23 – WSLC Path to Power candidate training
• May 4 – First day to file a declaration of candidacy (to run for elected office)
• May 6 – School Nurse Day
• May 8 – Last day to file a declaration of candidacy
• May 16 – WSLC COPE convention
• August 4 – Primary election in Washington State
• September 15 – National Voter Registration Day
• November 3 – General election in Washington State