Washington 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 4 D · 4 R cosponsors

SB 5278 — Implementing audit recommendations to reduce barriers to home care aide certification.

Last action — Effective date 7/23/2023.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 11, 2023. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 9 sponsors

    1 primary, 8 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 4 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

72 added · 77 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to SB 5278 clarify how examinations for long-term care workers will be conducted. Instead of requiring that all examination materials be kept for one year and outlining specific rules for retaking the exam, the updated version allows exams to be administered at various points during training. Additionally, it emphasizes that these exams must be fair, but now specifies that they cannot be conducted by the workers' own employers. This change aims to ensure a more flexible and impartial testing process, ultimately helping to maintain higher standards in long-term care worker training.

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S-1198.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5278 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session By Senate Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators L.
S-0489.1 SENATE BILL 5278 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session By Senators L.
Wilson) READ FIRST TIME 02/13/23.
Wilson Read first time 01/11/23.
Referred to Committee on Health & Long Term Care.
1 SSB 5278 (1) Except as provided in RCW 18.88B.041 and subject to the other requirements of this chapter, to be certified as a home care aide, a long-term care worker must successfully complete the training required under RCW 74.39A.074(1) and a certification examination.
1 SB 5278 (1) Except as provided in RCW 18.88B.041 and subject to the other requirements of this chapter, to be certified as a home care aide, a long-term care worker must successfully complete the training required under RCW 74.39A.074(1) and a certification examination.
((Except as provided by RCW 18.88B.041(1)(a)(ii), only those who have completed the training requirements in RCW 74.39A.074(1) shall be eligible to sit for this examination.)) (3) The examination or series of examinations shall include both a skills demonstration and a written or oral knowledge test.
((Except as provided by RCW 18.88B.041(1)(a)(ii), only those who have completed the training requirements in RCW 74.39A.074(1) shall be eligible to sit for this examination.
((The examination papers, all grading of the papers, and records related to the grading of skills demonstration shall be preserved for a period of not less than one year.
(3) The examination shall include both a skills demonstration and a written or oral knowledge test.
The department shall establish rules governing the number of times and under what circumstances individuals who have failed the examination may sit for the examination, including whether any intermediate remedial steps should be required.)) The skills demonstration, the knowledge test, or both, may be administered throughout training, on the last day of training, or after a student's formal training.
The examination papers, all grading of the papers, and records related to the grading of skills demonstration shall be preserved for a period of not less than one year.
The department shall establish rules governing the number of times and under what circumstances individuals who have failed the examination may sit for the examination, including whether any intermediate remedial steps should be required.
The certification examination ((shall be administered and evaluated by the department or by a contractor to the department that is neither an employer of long-term care workers or a private contractor providing training services under this chapter.)) may not be conducted by an employer of long-term care workers unless the employer is an approved community instructor and has met the department standards for administering the examination.
The certification examination shall be administered and evaluated by the department or by a contractor to the department that is neither an employer of long-term care workers or a private contractor providing training services under this chapter.
(5) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.
(5))) (3) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.
p.
(a) Devise a system that reduces delays between training and testing for home care aides that includes the following:
2 SSB 5278 (a) Devise a system that reduces delays between training and testing for home care aides that includes the following:
(ii) Allowing applicants to schedule tests during training to facilitate testing shortly after completing training;
p.
2 SB 5278 (ii) Allowing applicants to schedule tests during training to facilitate testing shortly after completing training;
(2) The department of health, in consultation with the department of social and health services and other relevant participants, shall submit to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature a preliminary report no later than June 30, 2024, and a final report no later than December 31, 2024, that includes a summary of the work conducted in accordance with the requirements specified p.
(2) The department of health, in consultation with the department of social and health services and other relevant participants, shall submit to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature a preliminary report no later than December 1, 2023, and a final report no later than June 30, 2024, that includes a summary of the work conducted in accordance with the requirements specified in subsection (1) of this section and any recommendations for improvement.
3 SSB 5278 in subsection (1) of this section and any recommendations for improvement.
(3) This section expires July 30, 2024.
(3) This section expires July 30, 2026.
4 SSB 5278
3 SB 5278
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Action History

  1. Effective date 7/23/2023.

  2. Chapter 323, 2023 Laws.

  3. Governor signed.

  4. Delivered to Governor.

  5. Speaker signed.

  6. President signed.

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

  12. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

  13. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  14. APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Postsecondary Education & Workforce.

  15. Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.

  16. Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 9:00 AM.

  17. Referred to Appropriations.

  18. Minority; without recommendation.

  19. PEW - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

  20. Executive action taken in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 8:00 AM.

  21. Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.

  22. Public hearing in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.

  23. First reading, referred to Postsecondary Education & Workforce.

  24. Third reading, passed; yeas, 45; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 4.

  25. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  26. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

  27. 2nd substitute bill substituted (WM 23).

  28. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  29. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  30. WM - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  31. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 9:00 AM.

  32. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 9:00 AM.

  33. Referred to Ways & Means.

  34. And refer to Ways & Means.

  35. HLTC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  36. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 8:00 AM.

  37. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 10:30 AM.

  38. First reading, referred to Health & Long Term Care.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 142 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (142)

142 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 142 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Final Passage as Amended by the House (#6)

Passed 49 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Republican 16000
Democrat 22000
Total 49000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Billig — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Yea
Mullet — Yea
Padden — Yea
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Rolfes — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Yea
T'wina Nobles Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jeff Wilson Republican Yea
Jim McCune Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Final Passage as Amended by the House (#3)

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29001
Democrat 56001
Unaffiliated 11000
Total 96002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Chambers — Yea
Chandler — Yea
Cheney — Yea
Chopp — Yea
Hutchins — Yea
Kretz — Yea
Maycumber — Yea
Mosbrucker — Yea
Robertson — Yea
Sandlin — Yea
Wilcox — Yea
Alex Ramel Democrat Yea
Alicia Rule Democrat Yea
Amy Walen Democrat Yea
April Berg Democrat Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Bill Ramos Democrat Yea
Brandy Donaghy Democrat Yea
Chipalo Street Democrat Yea
Chris Stearns Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Clyde Shavers Democrat Yea
Dan Bronoske Democrat Yea
Darya Farivar Democrat Yea
Dave Paul Democrat Yea
David Hackney Democrat Yea
Davina Duerr Democrat Yea
Debra Entenman Democrat Yea
Debra Lekanoff Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Emily Alvarado Democrat Yea
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Jamila Taylor Democrat Yea
Jessica Bateman Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
Joe Timmons Democrat Yea
Julia Reed Democrat Yea
Julio Cortes Democrat Yea
Kristine Reeves Democrat Yea
Larry Springer Democrat Yea
Lauren Davis Democrat Yea
Laurie Jinkins Democrat Yea
Lillian Ortiz-Self Democrat Not Voting
Lisa Callan Democrat Yea
Liz Berry Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Mari Leavitt Democrat Yea
Mary Fosse Democrat Yea
Melanie Morgan Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
My-Linh Thai Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharlett Mena Democrat Yea
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Yea
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Yea
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tana Senn Democrat Yea
Tarra Simmons Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Alex Ybarra Republican Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
April Connors Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Yea
Chris Corry Republican Yea
Cyndy Jacobsen Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Yea
Jenny Graham Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Joel McEntire Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Kevin Waters Republican Yea
Leonard Christian Republican Yea
Mark Klicker Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Yea
Michelle Valdez Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Not Voting
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Peter Abbarno Republican Yea
Sam Low Republican Yea
Skyler Rude Republican Yea
Stephanie Barnard Republican Yea
Stephanie McClintock Republican Yea
Suzanne Schmidt Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Yea
Travis Couture Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#33)

Passed 45 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 10001
Republican 14002
Democrat 21001
Total 45004
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Billig — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Not Voting
Mullet — Yea
Padden — Yea
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Rolfes — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Not Voting
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Yea
T'wina Nobles Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jeff Wilson Republican Yea
Jim McCune Republican Not Voting
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Matt Boehnke Republican Not Voting
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

housing healthcare labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 5278?
SB 5278 is sponsored by Claire Wilson (Democrat), Judy Warnick (Republican), Nikki Torres (Republican), Sharon Shewmake (Democrat), June Robinson (Democrat), Ron Muzzall (Republican), John Lovick (Democrat), Phil Fortunato (Republican), and Wilson, L..
What is the current status of SB 5278?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 11, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 5278?
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