 Blue background, DSHS and ODHH logo, text: 2024 Legislative Update
Legislative Updates
This is the second week of the legislative session in 2024. We will be providing updates on the legislative session throughout the next couple of months. There are three bills in legislature that may interest you.
If you are interested in spreading information about a bill not mentioned in this video update, please email us at [email protected].
If you would like to make a comment or contact your legislators on these bills or any bills that interest you, here is the link for you to go into and navigate on your own.
 Blue background, DSHS and ODHH logo, text: HB 2221
HB 2221 is in the House Human Services, Youth, and Early Learning committee right now. It is scheduled for a hearing on January 19th at 8:00am.
You can watch the hearing at the link here.
What is HB 2221?
It is a bill that seeks to establish a workgroup to collect information, data, and interviews the next 2 years. The information from findings will be used in recommendations in how to resolve the interpreter shortage issue in the long term.
 Blue background, DSHS and ODHH logo, text: SB 5788
SB 5788 was recently in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice on January 11th.
It was passed. It is now being sent to Rules Committee for a reading.
What is SB 5788? It addresses 4 things –
- Certain public places cannot deny a person with disability or service animal trainer to have their service animal with them.
- Creates a civil infraction for misrepresenting the pet as a service animal or service animal trainee.
- Requires people with disabilities or service animal trainers to always have full control of their animal.
- Permits public places to set up requirements for safe business operations not using stereotypes about individuals with disabilities.
 Blue background, DSHS and ODHH logo, text: HB 1041
HB 1041 was in House Committee on Health and Wellness on January 13, it was reintroduced and retained in present form. There are no future hearings scheduled at this time.
What is HB 1041?
It seeks to resolve the shortage of trained medical providers who can prescribe medication. Criteria to become a medical provider who can prescribe medicine is extensive. This bill seeks to change the criteria for more medical providers to obtain permission to prescribe medication.
Dr. Jaime Wilson of Wilson Clinical in Tacoma has been working closely with the DDBHH community to provide them access to behavioral health services through prescription of medication. He is working with other colleagues in this field to push this bill forward so that DDBHH can obtain access to more medical providers who will be able to help them.
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