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WashingtonHB 18112025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Enhancing crisis response services through co-response integration and support.

Sponsored By: Osman Salahuddin (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Co-response workers gain workplace disease protection

Covered first-response team members doing co-response work gain a workers’ compensation presumption for qualifying diseases. The disease is presumed work-related during a presidential or governor-declared public health emergency covering all Washington counties. It must be the emergency’s subject and spread through droplets, aerosols, or contaminated surfaces. Workers must provide verification required by the Department of Labor and Industries. Employers or insurers can overturn the presumption with evidence showing another exposure was more likely. They can also show the worker worked from home or was on leave during the applicable quarantine period.

Co-response workers gain peer-support privacy

Beginning July 27, 2025, co-response workers count as first responders under Washington’s peer-support privacy protection. Qualifying talks with a designated peer supporter are generally protected from forced testimony. An employing agency must designate its peer supporter before services begin, and talks must happen in that role. A statewide co-response outreach organization can also designate a peer to provide support and counseling. Protection does not apply when the supporter initially responded to the incident, witnessed it, or was a party to it. The protection also covers cross-agency coordination without requiring written agreements.

New training academy for crisis responders

Subject to appropriated funding, the University of Washington School of Social Work must establish a crisis responder training academy. It must launch in three regional behavioral health service organizations with significant co-response activity by January 1, 2026. By January 1, 2027, it must reach all such organizations. Seats must open to 988 rapid response, co-response, mobile community response, and alternative response teams. Training covers safety, calming crises, teamwork, peer support, culturally responsive care, suicide intervention, substance use engagement, and overdose response. It includes an eight-hour coordination session with 988 hubs, crisis relief centers, and 911 personnel, plus regional protocol development. Certification is optional and cannot become an extra licensing requirement. Regional organizations must promote the academy to local crisis responder and co-response teams.

Crisis lines cannot dispatch law enforcement

Beginning July 27, 2025, Washington regional crisis lines cannot dispatch law enforcement. This restriction removes one response option for these lines. The provision does not name a replacement dispatch pathway or provide a direct household payment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Osman Salahuddin

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Amy Walen

    Democratic • House

  • Beth Doglio

    Democratic • House

  • Chipalo Street

    Democratic • House

  • Chris Stearns

    Democratic • House

  • Gerry Pollet

    Democratic • House

  • Greg Nance

    Democratic • House

  • Jamila Taylor

    Democratic • House

  • Janice Zahn

    Democratic • House

  • Julia Reed

    Democratic • House

  • Lauren Davis

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Callan

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Parshley

    Democratic • House

  • Mari Leavitt

    Democratic • House

  • Mary Fosse

    Democratic • House

  • Natasha Hill

    Democratic • House

  • Nicole Macri

    Democratic • House

  • Sharon Tomiko Santos

    Democratic • House

  • Sharon Wylie

    Democratic • House

  • Shaun Scott

    Democratic • House

  • Timm Ormsby

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 200 • No: 41

House vote • 4/21/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 59 • No: 38 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/16/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 3/4/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 92 • No: 3 • Other: 3

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/19/2025House

  2. Chapter 346, 2025 Laws.

    5/19/2025House

  3. Governor signed.

    5/19/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/24/2025legislature

  5. President signed.

    4/23/2025legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    4/22/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 59; nays, 38; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    4/21/2025House

  8. House concurred in Senate amendments.

    4/21/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/16/2025House

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/16/2025House

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

    4/16/2025House

  12. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    4/15/2025House

  13. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    4/8/2025House

  14. Minority; do not pass.

    4/7/2025House

  15. WM - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    4/7/2025House

  16. Referred to Ways & Means.

    3/29/2025House

  17. And refer to Ways & Means.

    3/27/2025House

  18. Minority; without recommendation.

    3/27/2025House

  19. Minority; do not pass.

    3/27/2025House

  20. HLTC - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    3/27/2025House

  21. First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.

    3/6/2025House

  22. Third reading, passed; yeas, 92; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 3.

    3/4/2025House

  23. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/4/2025House

  24. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    3/4/2025House

  25. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    2/28/2025House

Bill Text

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