|
|
Bill Watch
- 2005 Session
Last
updated: 3/24/05
Bolded items are technically dead.
See also:
Bill Watch 2002 |
Bill Watch
2003
| Bill Watch 2004 |
Bill Watch 2006
Washington
State Legislature
It is the policy of the Washington
State Board of Health (Policy 01-001)
to monitor and comment on issues before the Legislature that fall into at
least one of the following four categories.
-
Category 1: Impacts
the Board’s statutory authority
-
Category 2: Runs
counter to a policy direction the Board has established in rule
-
Category 3: Is directly
related to one of the Priority Topics established by the Board each
biennium, as supported by a Board-approved work plan, interim
document, or final report
-
Category 4: Is directly
related to a policy issue addressed in a policy statement adopted by the
Board prior to each session
| Bill Number: |
SSB 5029 | HB 1123 |
| Short Title: |
Safe water in schools |
| Prime Sponsor: |
Jacobsen | Kenney |
|
Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5029. |
| Reason for Interest: |
Category 1: Board would be required to adopt, by rule,
drinking and water quality standards for lead, copper, cadmium,
and corrosion within school facilities. |
| Explanation: |
The Board is already considering water
quality standards as part of its school environmental health
rule revision. The Board supports DOH's call for a more
comprehensive approach that would examine and weigh all
environmental threats in a facility. |
| Recommendation: |
Support with concerns. Testify. |
| Board Action: |
Craig McLaughlin testified. |
| Staff Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin
Back to top
|
|
| Bill
Number: |
ESSB
5186 |
| Short
Title: |
Physical activity |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Franklin |
| Status: |
Passed the Senate with amendments. Heard March 24 in
House Health Care Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
ESSB 5186. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Categories 3 and 4: Relates to the Board's priority work on
children's physical activity and is addressed in the statement on
Board policy issues. |
| Explanation: |
This bill would institutionalize a connection between public health
and the built environment by requiring physical activity be promoted
in schools and be incorporated into planning around transportation and
urban development. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. Testify. |
| Board
Action: |
Craig McLaughlin testified. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill Number: |
SSB
5188 |
| Short Title: |
Children's environmental health |
| Prime Sponsor: |
Franklin |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
Establishes the children's environmental health and protection advisory
council. |
| Full Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5188. |
| Reason for Interest: |
Category 1:
Requires the Board to provide staff and financial support for a
newly established committee. |
| Explanation: |
This
bill would require the Board to provide administrative support to a
children’s environmental health and protection advisory committee
that would meet at least four times a year. It also allows the
Board to seek and utilize public and private funding to support this
activity. It establishes a timeline for two annual reports
containing recommendations. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. Testify to express concerns regarding mandated
timeline and staff and funding availability to support the activity. |
| Board Action: |
Unable
to testify at hearing, submitted
letter
expressing concerns. |
| Staff Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin
Back to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
2SSB 5431 | E2SHB 1458 |
| Short
Title: |
On-site sewage/marine areas |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Spanel | Hunt |
| Status: |
2SSB 5431 is technically dead. E2SSB 1458
scheduled for public hearing and executive action March 29 in Senate Water, Energy & Environment Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
2SSB 5431.
| Full
text of
E2SHB 1458. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Categories 1,
2 and 4: Would require new rulemaking, goes beyond rule
currently being developed for small on-site systems, and relates
specifically to Board
Resolution 04-04. |
| Explanation: |
Would have Board
make rules for on-site systems to address environmental impacts that
contribute to low dissolved oxygen in marine areas. Current
authority is specific to public health impacts, not environmental
issues. Would mandate operation and maintenance permitting
(certification) programs operated by local health jurisdiction in
marine areas of special concern. The Board would be required to make
rules for these “enhanced” operation and maintenance programs. Board
rules have stopped short of mandating operation and maintenance
permitting programs. |
| Recommendation: |
Testify, support
concept with concerns. Work with sponsors, agencies, and
stakeholders to develop alternative language. |
| Board
Action: |
Craig McLaughlin testified. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SSB 5491 | HB 1537 |
| Short
Title: |
Infant screening services |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Poulsen | Schual-Berke |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
Designates when the department of health may collect a fee for infant
screening services. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5491. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 1:
Supports the Board’s statutory authority to determine mandatory
newborn screening conditions by giving DOH more flexibility to use
funds for additional specialty clinics to address the needs of
children and their families affected by these conditions. |
| Explanation: |
This
bill changes the language in RCW 70.83.040 to broaden the allowable
use of funds from a fee that is authorized in that section. Current
language restricts the use of funds from the fee to support
specialty clinics that provide treatment for four conditions. In
2003, the Board amended its newborn screening rule and added five
new additional disorders. The proposed language in SB 5491 would
allow use of these fee funds for any of the disorders that the Board
includes in mandatory screening under its authority granted in
Section 020 of the statute. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SSB 5493 | HB 1535 |
| Short
Title: |
Hepatitis C state plan |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Kastama | Schual-Berke |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
Amends RCW 70.54.360 relating to removing state funding restrictions
from the hepatitis C state plan. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5493. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 1: This amendment will allow the use of available funds to
support work the Board may do in this area. The Board has added
hepatitis C to the notifiable conditions list, for example, and RCW
70.54.360(4) states that the Board may adopt rules necessary to
implement hepatitis C education programs. |
| Explanation: |
Currently, RCW 70.54.360 restricts the use of state funds to develop
or implement the Hepatitis C State Plan. This bill amends RCW
70.54.360(3) and RCW 70.54.360(6) to permit the use of available
funds. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill Number: |
SB 5592 | HB 1714 |
| Short Title: |
Prohibiting smoking in public places |
| Prime Sponsor: |
McAuliffe | McDermott |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full Text: |
Full
text of
SB 5592. |
| Reason for Interest: |
Category 4:
The Board supports efforts to require smoke-free public places. |
| Explanation: |
Prohibit
smoking in public places. Also allow local governments to adopt
more restrictive ordinances related to indoor smoking. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board Action: |
Submitted letter. |
| Staff Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SSB 5597 | SHB 1593 |
| Short
Title: |
Farmers market nutrition program |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Rasmussen | Linville |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5597
| Full
text of SHB 1593. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
This bill is directly related to the nutrition and physical
statement as described in the policy statement adopted by the Board
prior to this session. |
| Explanation: |
This bill would
provide additional general fund-state funds for the 2005-07 biennium
to maintain and expand the 2004 participation level of the WIC
Farmers Market Nutrition Program and maintains the program for low
income seniors. Participants of the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition
Program are given checks to purchase fresh, locally grown fruits and
vegetables at Farmers Markets. There is a link between fruit and
vegetable consumption and decreased risk of obesity, cancer, and
heart disease. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SSB 5650 | SHB 1545 |
| Short
Title: |
Regarding adult family home staff |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Thibaudeau | Curtis |
| Status: |
SSB 5650 is
technically dead. SHB 1545 heard March
17 in Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5650.
| Full
text of SHB 1545. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 2: Board has denied repeated requests to exempt adult family
home workers from food worker card rule. |
| Explanation: |
Workers in adult family homes would be exempt from requirements that
they obtain food worker cards only if they complete a DSHS training
that includes a food safety curriculum that meets Board of Health
standards. Should be amended to clarify that successfully completing
the training includes passing a test that is approved by DOH, as
required by Board rules. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. Recommend amendment. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter
regarding SSB 5650.
Letter regarding
SHB 1545. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig
McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SSB 5909 | HB 1670 |
| Short
Title: |
Indoor smoking |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Deccio | Darnielle |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SSB 5909. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
The Board supports efforts to require smoke-free public places. |
| Explanation: |
This bill requires
businesses with designated smoking areas to install specific
ventilation equipment and construct physical barriers to separate
smoking and non-smoking areas. It allows certain hospitality and
entertainment businesses such as bars, taverns, restaurants, and
bowling centers to be designated as smoking areas in their
entirety. SB 5909 also preempts and repeals all local regulations
related to indoor smoking. |
| Recommendation: |
Oppose. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SB 5961 |
| Short
Title: |
Livestock mortalities |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Rasmussen |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of SB 5961. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 1:
The Board has general authority to regulate the disposal of liquid
and solid wastes. Under this authority the Board regulates the
disposal of dead animals (246-203-120 (c)). |
| Explanation: |
SB 5961 gives the
Department of Agriculture specific authority to adopt rules related
to the non-emergency disposal of livestock carcasses. The Department
of Agriculture is directed to develop and adopt rules to fulfill the
requirement of 40 CFR Sec 122.42 in consultation with the Department
of Ecology, the Department of Health, and other applicable
regulatory agencies, which includes the State Board of Health. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
HB 1123 | SSB 5029 |
| Short
Title: |
Safe water in schools |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Kenney | Jacobson |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
SSB 5029. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category
1: Board would be required to adopt, by rule, drinking and
water quality standards for lead, copper, cadmium, and corrosion
within school facilities. |
| Explanation: |
The Board is already considering water
quality standards as part of its school environmental health rule
revision. The Board supports DOH's call for a more comprehensive
approach that would examine and weigh all environmental threats in
a facility. |
| Recommendation: |
Support with concerns. Testify. |
| Board
Action: |
Craig McLaughlin testified. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
|
Bill Number: |
E2SHB 1415 |
|
Short Title: |
Commercial passenger vessels |
|
Prime Sponsor: |
Dickerson |
|
Status: |
Heard March 23 in Senate Water, Energy & Environment Committee. |
|
Digest: |
View
digest online. |
|
Full Text: |
Full
text of
E2SHB 1415. |
|
Reason for Interest: |
The Board held a hearing on the
memorandum of understanding (MOU) between cruise ship operators, the United States
Coast Guard, and the Department of Ecology at the request of local
health jurisdictions. It will hear a report back in April. |
|
Explanation: |
The MOU may not provide adequate
protection for shellfish beds that could be contaminated by
viruses in blackwater discharges. |
|
Recommendation: |
Letter sent with concerns. |
|
Board Action: |
Submitted letter. |
|
Staff Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
ESHB 1494 |
| Short
Title: |
Delivery of health care services to school children |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Morrell |
| Status: |
Heard March 23 in Senate Early Learning, K-12 & Higher
Education Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
ESHB 1494. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
Is directly related to access to school-based care as addressed in
the Statement of Policy on Possible 2005 Legislative Issues
adopted by the Board at its January 2005 meeting. |
| Explanation: |
This
bill finds that schools are increasingly required to play an
expanding role in protecting children’s health. It proposes
improving the ratio of students to nurses and uses a phased in
approach for class 1 districts. A school nurse is defined as holding
a bachelor of science degree in nursing, including training in
public health nursing. The State Board of Education is entrusted
with adopting rules which provide for the initial and continuing
certification of certified school nurses. This bill also requires
the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to submit a
report to the Legislature by 2008 on the implementation of section 2
(ratios, education, and certification of school nurses) of this act. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
2SHB 1516 |
| Short
Title: |
Health services for children |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Schual-Berke |
| Status: |
Scheduled for hearing March 30 in Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
2SHB 1516. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
This bill is directly related to children’s preventive services as
described in the policy statement adopted by the Board prior to this
legislative
session.
|
| Explanation: |
This bill
expands access to health care services for children without health
insurance, using a model known as Kids Get Care. (This model was
presented at the December 2003 Board meeting. View the Kids Get Care
Web site at:
http://www.metrokc.gov/health/kgc/.) This makes specific
appropriations for 2006 and 2007. The monies are to be used for
infrastructure support for the collaborative and for program
evaluation as well as to develop 15 additional Kids Get Care sites.
This program has been successful in getting uninsured children and
families into public insurance systems. This allows those children
and families to receive good primary care (including prevention
services) and to connect to a medical home. This is expected to
improve children's health and decrease long term costs and chronic
illnesses. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top
|
|
| Bill
Number: |
HB 1585 |
| Short
Title: |
Housing for homeless |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Nixon |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of HB 1585. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 1:
The Board currently regulates homeless shelters under the transient
accommodations statute. This bill may preempt existing authority. |
| Explanation: |
As
part of the last transient accommodations rule review, the Board and
DOH held a series of meetings with homeless advocates, state
agencies, and shelter operators. That workgroup recommended a
regulatory framework for shelters. The Board is considering
addressing those recommendations as part of its 2005-07 work plan.
The bill appears to move homeless shelter regulations to the DOH
temporary worker housing program but is not specific to homeless
workers. |
| Recommendation: |
Send letter with concerns. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
| Bill
Number: |
HB 1586 | SSB 5575 |
| Short
Title: |
Higher ed school population |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Kenney | Kohl-Welles |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
SSB 5575. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 3:
Directly related to Board's priority work on health disparities. |
| Explanation: |
This bill would
specify that a school may, with specific limitations, consider race,
color, ethnicity, or national origin in its admission or transfer
policies. This could promote efforts to diversity the health care
workforce. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SHB 1593 | SSB 5597 |
| Short
Title: |
Funding farmers market nutrition programs |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Linville | Rasmussen |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
SHB 1593. | Full
text of SSB 5597. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
This bill is directly related to the nutrition and physical
statement as described in the policy statement adopted by the Board
prior to this session. |
| Explanation: |
This bill would
provide additional general fund-state funds for the 2005-07 biennium
to maintain and expand the 2004 participation level of the WIC
Farmers Market Nutrition Program and maintains the program for low
income seniors. Participants of the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition
Program are given checks to purchase fresh, locally grown fruits and
vegetables at Farmers Markets. There is a link between fruit and
vegetable consumption and decreased risk of obesity, cancer, and
heart disease. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
HB 1624 |
| Short
Title: |
Improving children's health services |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Schual-Berke |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of HB 1624. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
Is directly related to access to school-based care as addressed in
the Statement of Policy on Possible 2005 Legislative Issues
adopted by the Board at its January 2005 meeting. |
| Explanation: |
This
bill is directed toward increasing the health care of students in
grades K-12. It has a number of components. Highlights include:
increasing the ratio of nurses to students to a minimum of 1.33 RNs
to 1000 full-time equivalent students, establishing a 12-member
joint legislative committee on student health with consultation from
the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and DOH, and
defining school aids and placing them under the Uniform Disciplinary
Act that establishes the DOH secretary as the licensing and
disciplinary authority. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SHB 1737 | SB 5715 |
| Short
Title: |
Public health improvement |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
Schual-Berke | Keiser |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
SHB 1737. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Categories 3 and 4:
Relates to the Board’s work on public health infrastructure, the
recommendations in its 2001 report on public health infrastructure,
and the portions of the policy statement related to public health
financing. |
| Explanation: |
The Board, as a
member of the Public Health Improvement Plan, has helped set
standards for public health and recommend a funding level that would
be needed to meet those standards. This bill would create a joint
committee to review the current status of the public health system,
explore funding strategies, and recommend a level of dedicated
funding that the state should provide. The Board would have a
non-voting representative on the committee. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Craig McLaughlin |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
SHB 1771 |
| Short
Title: |
School breakfast |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
McDermott |
| Status: |
Passed House. Scheduled for March 25 hearing in Senate Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education
Committee. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of
SHB 1771. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
Is directly related to the school health policy statement included
in the Statement of Policy on Possible 2005 Legislative Issues
as adopted by the Board at the January 2005 Board meeting. |
| Explanation: |
Requires each school
district to implement a school breakfast program in each school
where more than 40 percent of students eligible to participate in
the school lunch program qualify for free or reduced-price meal
reimbursement by the school year 2005-06. Specifies dates when each
school district must submit data that the superintendent of public
instruction can use to determine which schools within the district
will qualify for this requirement. Tasks the Office of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (in consultation with
representatives of school directors, school food service,
community-based organizations, and the Washington State PTA) with
developing the process and criteria by which school districts are
exempted. |
| Recommendation: |
Support concept of original bills. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter to support
concept of original bills. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Tara Wolff |
|
Back
to top |
|
| Bill
Number: |
HB 2038 |
| Short
Title: |
Smoking ban in public places |
| Prime
Sponsor: |
McDermott |
| Status: |
Technically dead. |
| Digest: |
View
digest on line. |
| Full
Text: |
Full
text of HB 2038. |
| Reason
for Interest: |
Category 4:
The Board supports efforts to require smoke-free public places. |
| Explanation: |
HB 2038 prohibits
smoking in public places. It also allows local governments to adopt
more restrictive ordinances related to indoor smoking. |
| Recommendation: |
Support. |
| Board
Action: |
Submitted
letter. |
| Staff
Assigned: |
Candi Wines |
|
Back
to top |
|
|
