Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 9 D · 4 R cosponsors

HB 1344 — Increasing access to respite care for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their caregivers.

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

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

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

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced January 16, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 13 sponsors

    1 primary, 12 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (9 D · 4 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

24 added · 20 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of House Bill 1344, the provisions related to accessing funds for respite care have been expanded. Previously, the bill only addressed the basic plus waiver, but now it also includes the children's intensive in-home behavioral support waiver, allowing more families to access these funds without needing prior approval once they have used their annual allotted hours. Additionally, the limit on the percentage of the budget that can be used for respite care has been removed, which could provide greater flexibility and support for families in need. These changes matter because they aim to improve access to essential care services for children with behavioral needs.

→
Previous
Latest
H-1435.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1344 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By House Early Learning & Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Barnard, Cortes, Dufault, Couture, Farivar, Reed, Hill, Caldier, Taylor, Pollet, Nance, Gregerson, and Callan) READ FIRST TIME 02/18/25.
H-0324.2 HOUSE BILL 1344 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Barnard, Cortes, Dufault, Couture, Farivar, Reed, Hill, Caldier, Taylor, Pollet, Nance, Gregerson, and Callan Read first time 01/16/25.
Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Human Services.
The legislature therefore declares that given the fundamental importance of respite care to both the caregiver and the person being cared for, in addition to the respite care currently offered, respite care should be added to the aggregate portion of the basic plus waiver so that aggregate funds can be accessed for respite care without prior administrative approval once the annual assessed hours have been exhausted.
The legislature therefore declares that given the fundamental importance of respite care to both the caregiver and the person being cared for, in addition to the respite care currently offered, respite care should be added to the aggregate portion of the basic plus and children's intensive in-home behavioral support waivers so that aggregate funds can be accessed for respite care without prior administrative approval once the annual assessed hours have been exhausted.
1 SHB 1344 NEW SECTION.
1 HB 1344 NEW SECTION.
(1) By September 1, 2025, the department shall submit a waiver amendment to the centers for medicare and medicaid services to add respite care to the list of aggregate services available under the basic plus waiver.
(1) By September 1, 2025, the department shall submit a waiver amendment to the centers for medicare and medicaid services to add respite care to the list of aggregate services available under the basic plus waiver and the children's intensive in-home behavioral support waiver.
(2) Upon the approval from the centers for medicare and medicaid services, the department shall immediately update the basic plus waiver to include respite care as an aggregate service.
For purposes of the children's intensive in-home behavioral support waiver, "aggregate services" refers to the service cluster that most closely resembles the list of aggregate services under the basic plus waiver.
The portion of the total aggregate services budget that may be used for respite care must be limited to 30 percent.
(2) Upon the approval from the centers for medicare and medicaid services, the department shall immediately update the basic plus and children's intensive in-home behavioral support waivers to include respite care as an aggregate service.
2 SHB 1344
2 HB 1344
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

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

  2. Referred to Appropriations.

  3. ELHS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  4. Executive action taken in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 8:00 AM.

  5. Public hearing in the House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services at 1:30 PM.

  6. First reading, referred to Early Learning & Human Services.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 12 co-sponsors · 138 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (12)

Not signed on (138)

138 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 138 →

"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

healthcare labor
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 HB 1344?
HB 1344 is sponsored by Lisa Callan (Democrat), Mia Gregerson (Democrat), Greg Nance (Democrat), Gerry Pollet (Democrat), Jamila Taylor (Democrat), Natasha Hill (Democrat), Julia Reed (Democrat), Darya Farivar (Democrat), Travis Couture (Republican), Jeremie Dufault (Republican), Stephanie Barnard (Republican), Michelle Valdez (Republican), and Julio Cortes (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 1344?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced January 16, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 1344?
Track HB 1344 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 1344

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 1344

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →