Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 7 D · 1 R cosponsors

SB 5488 — Strengthening the financial stability of persons in the care of the department of children, youth, and families.

Last action — By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 24, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 8 sponsors

    1 primary, 7 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (7 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

125 added · 137 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Senate Bill 5488, the age range for youth affected by the restrictions on benefits has been expanded. Previously, the bill only applied to youths aged 14 to 17 starting January 1, 2026, while the new version now includes all individuals in the care of the department, regardless of age, starting from January 1, 2026. This change is significant because it ensures that younger children under 14 and older youth beyond 17 are also protected from having their benefits used to cover care costs, potentially providing greater financial support for these vulnerable groups. Additionally, the agency will continue to evaluate and assist all eligible youth in gaining access to social security benefits.

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S-1116.3 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5488 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senate Human Services (originally sponsored by Senators Alvarado, Warnick, C.
S-0824.1 SENATE BILL 5488 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Alvarado, Warnick, C.
Wilson, Chapman, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Trudeau, and Valdez) READ FIRST TIME 02/06/25.
Wilson, Chapman, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Trudeau, and Valdez Read first time 01/24/25.
Referred to Committee on Human Services.
(1)(a) Beginning January 1, 2026, the department may not apply any benefits, payments, funds, or accrual paid to, or on behalf of, a youth age 14 through 17 in the care of the department subject to chapter 13.34 or 13.40 RCW as reimbursement for the cost of care.
(1) As of January 1, 2026, the department may not apply any benefits, payments, funds, or accrual paid to, or on behalf of, a person in the care of the department subject to chapter 13.34 or 13.40 RCW as reimbursement for the cost of care.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2028, subject to appropriations, the department may not apply any benefits, payments, funds, or accrual paid to, or on behalf of, any person younger than 14 or older than 17 in the care of the department subject to chapter 13.34 or 13.40 RCW as reimbursement for the cost of care.
The department shall screen persons in out-of-home placement for p.
The department shall screen persons in out-of-home placement for eligibility for such benefits on an ongoing basis.
1 SSB 5488 eligibility for such benefits on an ongoing basis.
If a person is over the age of 12, the person shall be asked to consent to authorize a release of information for the application;
p.
1 SB 5488 If a person is over the age of 12, the person shall be asked to consent to authorize a release of information for the application;
When the amount of money due to the person exceeds asset limits for the benefit or exceeds the amount needed to provide for the person's personal needs, the department shall place the funds in an appropriate savings or investment that will not count against the person's eligibility for supplemental security income and retirement, survivors, and disability insurance benefits, unless such funds are needed for the p.
When the amount of money due to the person exceeds asset limits for the benefit or exceeds the amount needed to provide for the person's personal needs, the department shall place the funds in an appropriate savings or investment that will not count against the person's eligibility for supplemental security income and retirement, survivors, and disability insurance benefits, unless such funds are needed for the person to access medicaid waiver services provided by the developmental disabilities administration.
2 SSB 5488 person to access medicaid waiver services provided by the developmental disabilities administration.
(i) A Washington achieving a better life experience program account managed by the department of commerce pursuant to RCW 43.330.462;
p.
2 SB 5488 (i) A Washington achieving a better life experience program account managed by the department of commerce pursuant to RCW 43.330.462;
(a) For such personal needs of such person as the secretary may deem proper and necessary((.));
(a) For such personal needs of such person as the secretary may deem proper and necessary.
p.
(b) ((Against the amount of public assistance otherwise payable to such person.
3 SSB 5488 (b)(i) Against the amount of public assistance otherwise payable to such person((.
This includes applying, as reimbursement, any benefits, payments, funds, or accrual paid to or on behalf of said person from any source against the amount of public assistance p.
This)), until:
3 SB 5488 expended on behalf of said person during the period for which the benefits, payments, funds or accruals were paid)) To conserve funds in a savings or investment account subject to section 1 of this act.
(A) January 1, 2026, for youth ages 14 through 17;
and (B) January 1, 2028, for persons under the age of 14 or over 17, subject to appropriations;
(ii) For the purposes of this subsection (1)(b), the amount of public assistance otherwise payable to such person includes applying, as reimbursement, any benefits, payments, funds, or accrual paid to or on behalf of said person from any source against the amount of public assistance expended on behalf of said person during the period for which the benefits, payments, funds or accruals were paid ;
and (c) To conserve funds in a savings or investment account subject to section 1 of this act.
4 SSB 5488
4 SB 5488
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Action History

  1. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

  2. Senate Rules "X" file.

  3. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  4. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  5. Minority; without recommendation.

  6. WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Human Services.

  7. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.

  8. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.

  9. Referred to Ways & Means.

  10. Minority; without recommendation.

  11. And refer to Ways & Means.

  12. HS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  13. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 8:00 AM.

  14. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Human Services at 1:30 PM.

  15. First reading, referred to Human Services.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 7 co-sponsors · 143 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (7)

Not signed on (143)

143 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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

Subjects

finance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 5488?
SB 5488 is sponsored by Yasmin Trudeau (Democrat), T'wina Nobles (Democrat), Deborah Krishnadasan (Democrat), Mike Chapman (Democrat), Claire Wilson (Democrat), Judy Warnick (Republican), Emily Alvarado (Democrat), and Javier Valdez (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 5488?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 24, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 5488?
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