Sami Bailey
Political Advocacy Specialist
WSNA in Olympia — 2025 Legislative Session
February 7, 2025. In this week's update - an overall recap of the week, updates on each of WSNA's five legislative priorities, and other bills we're watching.
February 10, 2025 • 5 minutes, 15 seconds to read
Table of contents
In this week's update - an overall recap of the week, updates on each of WSNA's five legislative priorities, and other bills we're watching.
With just two weeks until the February 21st policy committee cutoff - the date by which a bill must pass out of its initial policy committee and onto the next step in the process, or it dies - legislators are in high gear introducing, hearing, and passing bills out of policy committees. From there, they are either sent to their respective fiscal committees (if they cost the state money) to analyze the budget impact, or the Rules committees for further consideration before they can be brought to the floor for a vote. Bills that do not pass their policy committees by the February 21st deadline are likely dead for this session, unless they are deemed “NTIB” or “necessary to implement the budget”.
On the budget front, Governor Ferguson has directed his cabinet agencies to identify spending reductions of at least 6% for the 2025-27 and biennial budget. This doesn't apply to K-12, the Washington State Patrol, community and technical colleges, Department of Corrections, and the Criminal Justice Training Commission. Entitlements that are cash benefits to residents are also excluded. This exercise is due to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) on Friday, February 7, 2025. They should be posted publicly next week.
HB 1162 had a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, February 5th. WSNA’s contract lobbyist testified on behalf of the bill talking about the importance of this bill to nurses and moving the needle on workplace violence by addressing incidents with data and focusing on prevention. Government Affairs staff and lobbyists are working on updating the fiscal note that was added to the bill last week. It should be updated within the next couple of weeks.
HB 1162 must pass the Appropriations Committee no later than February 28th which is the fiscal cutoff date. If passed it would then move to the Rules committee before consideration and brought to a vote by the full House.
Please sign in support of HB 1881 TODAY or before 9:30am on Tuesday, February 11. For position, choose “PRO” and remember to leave the “organization” field blank. We need your voice!
As nurses, many of you have been affected by health system consolidations. It may have been a complete elimination of service lines that resulted in you transferring units or losing your job; or reduced staff, resources, and support creating more strain on you and unsafe working conditions; or all the above.
Health care consolidations are prolific in our state and now we are seeing private equity move into the healthcare space. Data shows that these transactions often negatively impact cost, quality, and access to necessary healthcare services. Our goal with this proposed legislation is to assure the accessibility and affordability of services lines and provide public oversight of such transactions.
SB 5041 currently sits in the Senate Labor Committee and is waiting for a vote out of committee. It was scheduled for executive action today, Friday, February 7th but no action was taken. We’ll be sure to keep you updated if any movement is made on this.
Strikes are a last resort, and employers are always able to weather a work stoppage better than a worker. This bill would allow striking workers to access UI benefits. Washington needs to join New York, New Jersey, and Maine in allowing workers who strike to access UI benefits.
SB 5270 currently awaits action in the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. We will keep you updated on any movement of the bill.
The Beginning Education Support Team (BEST) is a mentorship program for new school employees, and we want to expand that to novice school nurses. The BEST bill would help support and retain school nurses, especially in rural school districts, by pairing them with a nurse mentor and support system. Students in Washington deserve access to health services while at school.
HB 1430 was voted out of the House Health Care & Wellness Committee with bipartisan support this morning. It will now move to the Rules committee before being voted on before the full House.
The quality of care and outcomes from services provided by ARNPs and PAs are equivalent to that of physicians, but commercial insurance plans withhold up to 15% of the reimbursement from ARNPs and PAs. HB 1430 requires commercial insurance plans to reimburse ARNP and PA care at the same rate as physicians, for the same services provided.
WSNA’s 2025 Lobby Day was held earlier this week on February 4th in Olympia with attendance of ~85 WSNA nurses and staff holding approximately 100 legislator meetings. Many weathered the roads and flight cancellations to make it to Olympia, ensuring nurses’ voices were heard by legislators as we advocated for our legislative priorities (see above). We appreciate you taking the time and energy to show up and show our presence in Olympia!
A legislator knew one of our members attending WSNA Lobby Day who had taken care of her family. It just goes to show that nurses put the “care” in “healthcare”, and why your voices are so powerful and critical in those decision-making spaces.
You can view our recap video here and see our photo gallery here!
We hope to see you all at our Lobby Day next year which will be Thursday, January 29, 2026.
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.
NEW! HB 1334, modifying the annual regular property tax revenue growth limit
NEW! SB 5503, concerning public employee collective bargaining processes
HB 1686/SB 5561, creating a health care entity registry
HB 1560, funding health care access by imposing an excise tax on the annual compensation paid to certain highly compensated hospital employees
SB 5240, concerning anaphylaxis medication in schools
SB 5335, establishing the rural nursing education program
HB 1675/SB 5387, concerning the corporate practice of medicine
SB 5526, concerning the regulation of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products
SB 5493, concerning hospital price transparency
HB 1622/SB 5422, allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence
SB 5271, requiring school districts of the first class to employ a school nurse
HB 1445/SB 5233, developing the Washington health trust
HB 1567, concerning licensure of health care administrators
HB 1077, raising awareness of pain control options for intrauterine device placement and removal
HB 1531, preserving the ability of public officials to address communicable diseases
HB 1022, creating a home for heroes program.
HB 1069/SB 5044, allowing collective bargaining over contributions for certain supplemental retirement benefits.
HB 1155/SB 5437, prohibiting noncompetition agreements and clarifying non solicitation agreements.
HB 1213, expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.
HB 1220, concerning appropriate response to assaults by individuals in behavioral health crisis.
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 2025 Legislative Priorities: click here.
Do you know how many nurses are legislators in Olympia right now? None! The legislature needs you! Nurses need you! If you have ever thought of running for office please consider attending this candidate training hosted by the Washington State Labor Council from March 25-27, 2025 in Olympia. If you are interested in attending, please email Sami Bailey (sbailey@wsna.org) no later than Monday, February 17.
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