New Law Implementation Guide

When legislative session ends, implementation of the new laws begin. WSHA’s Government Affairs team is hard at work preparing resources to help hospitals understand, prepare and ultimately implement all the new laws.

On this page, you will find a list of the high priority laws passed this legislative session that WSHA is preparing resources and information on. The implementation schedule below identifies the new law, bill number, whether hospital action is required, the resource(s) WSHA is preparing, a timeline for the release of the resources, the effective date of the law, and the WSHA staff who can help address any follow up questions.

This page and the schedule below will be updated regularly, as new resources are released. WSHA’s Bulletin Schedule for 2023 can be found here. For WSHA’s comprehensive list of bulletins, please visit this page.

2023 New Law Implementation Resources

• New Requirements for Hospital Staffing (2023 SB 5236) (E2SSB 5236) Bulletin, PDF – Effective
  January 1, 2024
• New Surgical Smoke Evacuation Requirement Beginning January 1, 2024 or January 1, 2025 (RCW 49.17.500) Bulletin – Effective January 1, 2024 or January 1, 2025
• Phase II Final DOH Rules for Behavioral Health Agency Licensing and Certification ( Chapter 246-341 WAC) Bulletin – Effective May 1, 2023
• Certification, scope of practice, and supervision changes for certain medical assistants (ESHB 1073) Bulletin – Effective April 20, 2023
• New Washington State Laws Relating to Reproductive Health Services and Gender Affirming Care (HB 1469 and HB 1340) Bulletin – Effective April 2023
• Compliance Exemption Application Period Extended by 3 Years for State Energy Performance Standard (Clean Buildings) (Rule) Bulletin – Effective February 15, 2023
• Waiver Removed for Buprenorphine Prescribing Bulletin
• DOH Finalizes Acute Care Hospital Fine Matrix Rule (2SHB 1148) Bulletin– Effective January 20, 2023

2022 New Law Implementation Resources

• New Discharge Notification Requirements for Freestanding Psychiatric Hospitals (SHB 1860) Bulletin-Effective June 9, 2022
• Changes to Balance Billing Protection Act (HB 1688) Bulletin – Effective March 31, 2022
• Changes to State Charity Care Law (SHB 1616) Bulletin – Effective July 1, 2022
• Update on Requirement for Hospitals to Contract with Public Option Plans (SB 5377) Bulletin
• New law allowing nurses and licensed practical nurses to distribute opioid reversal medication in EDs (HB 1761) Bulletin – Effective March 11, 2022
• Psychiatric Hospital Fine Matrix Rulemaking Guidance (HB 2426) Bulletin – Effective February 24, 2022
• Workplace Citation and Notice Posting Time Period Extension (Rule) – weekly article
• Hospital Transparency and Reporting (E2SHB 1272) Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• New Data Requirements for Revised Notifiable Conditions Regulations Bulletin – Effective January 1, 2023 (Bulletin)
• Increasing Psychiatric Bed Capacity (SB 5236, SB 5092 and HB 1080) Bulletin
• Naloxone (SB 5195) Bulletin – effective January 1, 2022
• 988 Line (HB 1477) – Bulletin – effective July 16, 2022
• Recommended Resources – Washington Nurse Licensure Process – Bulletin
• Respiratory Care Practitioners – Scope of Practice (HB 1383) – weekly article – effective July 1, 2022
• Long Term Care Trust Act (HB 1087, passed in 2019 and HB 1323, passed in 2021) – Bulletin – Effective January 1, 2022
• Changes to Washington’s Involuntary Treatment Laws that Impact Hospitals, (SSB 5073 & SHB 1314) – Bulletin – in effect now
• New Health Care Worker Protections During a Declared State of Emergency (ESSB 5190 & ESSB 5115) – Bulletin and weekly article – in effect now
• B&O Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Emergency Grants (SHB 1095) – Fiscal Watch Article – in effect now
• Clean Buildings (HB 1257) – Bulletin – effective June 1, 2026
• New Requirement to Respond to Record Requests from Overdose, Withdrawal, and Suicide Fatality Review Teams (SB 1074) – Bulletin – effective June 9, 2022
• Audio-Only Telemedicine Law Changes: Hospital Facility Fees Prohibited and Established Relationship Requirement Modified (HB 1196, passed in 2019 and HB 1821, passed in 2022) – Bulletin – in effect now and effective January 1, 2023
• MRSA/Pathogens of Epidemiological Concern (HB 1739) – Bulletin – effective January 1, 2023

2021 New Law Implementation Resources

• OIC Audio-Only Telemedicine Rules (HB 1196) Bulletin – Effective December 22, 2021
• Health Equity Highlights from the 2021 Legislative Session (HB 5068) – weekly article
• Behavioral Health Ombud (HB 1086) Bulletin – Effective July 25, 2021
• New PMP Check Requirement for Outpatient Prescribing and Dispensing of Controlled Substances to Medicaid Patients – Bulletin – Effective October 1, 2021
• Pharmacy Compounding and Drug Take Back Program (HB 1161, HB 1445) – weekly article – July 25, 2021
• Miscarriage Management (SB 5140) – Bulletin – effective July 25, 2021
• Blood Donation Eligibility (SB 5179) – weekly article – effective July 25, 2021
• Audio-Only and Other Telemedicine Changes (HB 1196, HB 1378, SB 5325, SB 5423) – Bulletin – effective July 25, 2021
• Paid Family and Medical Leave (SB 5097, HB 1073, HB 1087) – Bulletin– see bulletin for effective dates
• Supporting Victims of Sexual Assault (HB 1109) – Bulletin – effective April 26, 2021
• DOH Oversight of Acute Care Hospitals (HB 1148) – Bulletin – effective July 25, 2021
• Concerning closed captioning on televisions in places of public accommodation (SB 5027) – Bulletin – effective July 25, 2021
• Public Option (SB 5377) – Bulletin – Section 5 effective July 25, 2021
• Physician Assistant Practice Act (HB 2378 (2020) Rule) – Practice Agreements) – weekly article – effective July 1, 2021
• Changes to State Law on Mental Health Advance Directives (ESSB 5370) – Bulletin – effective July 25, 2021

2020 New Law Implementation Resources

• Addressing opioid use, including PMP/EHR integration (SB 6086, SB 5380) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• Behavioral health budget decisions – Bulletin
• Changes to Washington’s involuntary treatment laws:
  • Part 1: Key changes (SB 5720) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
  • Part 2: Use of video for evaluations of adults (HB 2099) – Bulletin – see bulletin for existing authority
  • Part 3: Changes to the involuntary treatment of minors (SB 5720) – Bulletin – June 11, 2020
  • Webcast: Key changes to Washington’s involuntary treatment laws – slides
  • Model Rights of Involuntary Adult Patients
  • Model Rights of Involuntary Minor Patients
• Cost transparency board (HB 2457) – Bulletin 
• Data breach reporting requirements (HB 1071 and SB 6187) – Bulletin – in effect now
• Health care benefit managers (SB 5601) – bulletin – effective January 1, 2022
• Home Health Shortage Area Designation – (SB 6359) – Bulletin – in effect June 11, 2020
• Informed consent to pelvic exams (SB 5282) – bulletin – effective June 11, 2020
• Labor relations for DSHS contractors (SB 6096) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• Modernizing HIV laws (SEHB 1551)– Bulletin – in effect now
• Non-competition agreements (HB 1450) – Bulletin – in effect now
• Oversight of Psychiatric Hospitals (HB 2426) – Bulletin – in effect now
• Physician Assistance Practice Act (HB 2378) – bulletin – changes effective 2021 and 2022
• Prior authorization (SB 6404) – Bulletin 
• Protecting Patient Care (HB 1608) – bulletin – effective June 11, 2020
• Sexual Assault Kits (HB 2318, SB 6158, HB 1016 (2019)) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• Substitute Providers (HB 1552) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• Telemedicine (SB 5385 and SB 6061) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• Worker’s Compensation – (HB 2409 and SB 6440) – Bulletin – see bulletin for effective dates
• New Pharmacy Regulations- (CR 103)- Bulletin effective July 1, 2020
• Pharmaceutical Waste Standards- (CR 103)- Bulletin, effective October 31, 2020

2019 New Law Implementation Resources

• Balance Billing (HB 1065) – Bulletin, Webinar Slides, Model Notice
• Behavioral health – Bulletin
  • Mental health certificate of needs (HB 1394)
  • SUD treatment system (HB 1907)
  • Reciprocity (SB 5054)
  • Competitive Capital Grants (budget)
  • 90/180 day payment rents (budget)
• B&O Tax (HB 2158) – Bulletin upon request
• Data Breach Notifications (HB 1071) – Bulletin
• Debt Collection – Bulletin
  • Medical debt (HB 1531)
  • Consumer debt (HB 1602)
• Family initiated treatment (HB 1874) – Bulletin, Webinar slides
• Hospital Policies (SB 5602) – Bulletin upon request
• Long Term Care Trust Act (HB 1087) – bulletin coming soon!
• Maternal Mortality (SB 5425) – Bulletin
• Medical decision making – Bulletin, Model Declaration
  • Surrogate decision makers (HB 1175)
  • Uniform guardianship (SB 5604)
• Noncompetes (HB 1450) – Bulletin
• Patient notice re: provider sexual misconduct (HB 1198) – Bulletin
• Peer review/whistleblower (HB 1049) – Bulletin
• Pre-transaction notice (M&A) (HB 1607) – Bulletin
• Public Option (SB 5526) – Bulletin, Webinar Slides
• Safety net assessment (SB 5734) – Bulletin upon request
• Sexual Assault Survivor Services – Bulletin 1, Bulletin 2, Guidance for Hospitals
  • Omnibus sexual assault survivor (unreported kits) (HB 1166)
  • Hospital SANE services (HB 1016)
• Telemedicine – Bulletin
  • Credentialing (SB 5387)
  • Training standards (SB 5386)
• Uninterrupted Breaks (HB 1155) – Bulletin, Webinar Slides, Pamphlet for Staff
• Workplace safety – Bulletin
  • Workplace violence (HB 1931)
  • Isolated workers harassment (SB 5258)
• Wrongful Death (SB 5163) – Bulletin