HB 2180 — Coaches of youth sports

Summary

Concerning coaches of youth sports organizations.

Bill Text

Compared against the Revised Code of Washington as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 3 section(s) of the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 26.44.030; RCW 43.43.830; RCW 43.43.834.

• RCW 26.44.030

  2 and 2025 c 192 s 2 are each reenacte s: (1)(a) W gy, practitioner, county coroner or m nt officer, professional school perso nurse, social service counselor, p ee of the department of children, yo or certified child care providers or the department of social and health officer, diversion unit staff, place esponsible living skills program staff ily and children's ombuds or any volun coach of a youth sports organization,

  amended

• RCW 43.43.830

  (18) "Unsupervised" means not in the presence of: (a) Another employee or volunteer from the same business or organization as the applicant; or (b) Any relative or guardian of any of the children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities to which the applicant has access during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the qualified entity, business, or organization. With regard to peer counselors, "unsupervised" does not include incidental contact with children under age sixteen at the location at which the peer counseling is taking place. "Incidental contact" means minor or casual contact with a child in an area accessible to and within visual or auditory range of others. It could include passing a child while walking down a hallway but would not include being alone with a child for any period of time in a closed room or office. (19) "Vulnerable adult" means "vulnerable adult" as defined in chapter 74.34 RCW, except that for the purposes of requesting and receiving background checks pursuant to RCW 43.43.832, it shall also include adults of any age who lack the functional, mental, or physical ability to care for themselves. (20) "Coach" means a person employed or volunteering as a coach, manager, or supervisor of a youth athletic activity, but does not include occasional assistance with or support of the youth athletic activity by a person, including the actions of other volunteers or employees of the youth sports organization in a passing, general, or nominal manner. (21)(a) "Youth sports organization" includes: (i) A private for-profit or nonprofit organization that as part of its core function provides persons who are less than 18 years old the opportunity to participate in scheduled competitive or recreational sporting activities whether individually or as a team, but does not include a sporting activity that is incidental to a nonathletic program or lesson; (ii) Interschool athletic activities governed by the Washington interscholastic activities association, operated by any public school as defined in RCW 28A.150.010, or operated by any private secondary school including those approved under chapter 28A.195 RCW; and (iii) A city or county when providing persons who are less than 18 years old the opportunity to participate in scheduled competitive or recreational sporting activities whether individually or as a team, but does not include a sporting activity that is incidental to a nonathletic program or lesson. (b) "Youth sports organization" does not include: (i) A licensed child care center or family home provider as defined in RCW 43.216.010; (ii) An institution of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, or a private institution of higher education; or (iii) An organization that provides the opportunity to participate in an unsupervised and unscheduled competitive or recreational sporting event.

  amended

• RCW 43.43.834

  adjudicative (4) (5) (6) (7) → read as follows: (1) A business or organization shall not make an inquiry to the Washington state patrol under RCW 43.43.832 or an equivalent inquiry to a federal law enforcement agency unless the business or organization has notified the applicant who may be offered a position as an employee or volunteer, that an inquiry may be made. (2) A business or organization shall require each applicant to disclose to the business or organization whether the applicant: (a) Has been convicted of a crime; (b) Has had findings made against him or her in any civil adjudication proceeding as defined in RCW 43.43.830; or (c) Has both a conviction under (a) of this subsection and findings made against him or her under (b) of this subsection. (3)(a) A youth sports organization shall make an inquiry to the Washington state patrol under RCW 43.43.832 or an equivalent inquiry to federal law enforcement before employing any coach with any associated costs related to this inquiry paid by the prospective coach. (b) A youth sports organization may not hire a coach if the inquiry required under this subsection (3) shows that the person has been convicted of a crime against children or other persons. (4) T bus he rds 838 (5) f t res h a lab (6) n m ng ina n o W .32 tio s s (7) zat to g a lic (8) --- END ---

  amended

Action History

1. January 12, 2026

   First reading, referred to Early Learning & Human Services.

Sponsors

• (Ley) · Primary

Subjects