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WashingtonSB 56722025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Delaying the home care aide certification requirements.

Sponsored By: Ron Muzzall (Republican)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Home care aides get more certification time

Beginning May 17, 2025, Washington requires rules giving long-term care workers extra time to earn home care aide certification. This creates an exception to the usual deadline of 200 calendar days after hire. The law leaves the length of the extension to agency rules. The extra time applies while the State Auditor completes its 2026 review of aide training and skills tests. The rules last until 90 days after the legislative session following publication of the audit adjourns. The temporary law section expires December 31, 2027. Workers who are neither certified nor eligible to renew an expired credential get a new hire date when changing employers. This also applies when they return to a former employer after earlier employment ends. The department can also extend deadlines during declared emergencies that interfere with certification. Those emergency rules end when the emergency ends or the department determines extra time is no longer needed. Within 12 months after the emergency ends, the department must review certification compliance and report to the legislature.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Ron Muzzall

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Annette Cleveland

    Democratic • Senate

  • Mike Chapman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Perry Dozier

    Republican • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 193 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/21/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 48 • No: 0

House vote • 4/14/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 96 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Senate vote • 3/3/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 5/17/2025.

    5/23/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 341, 2025 Laws.

    5/17/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    5/17/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/24/2025legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    4/23/2025legislature

  6. President signed.

    4/22/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/21/2025Senate

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    4/21/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.

    4/14/2025Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/14/2025Senate

  11. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    4/14/2025Senate

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

    4/11/2025Senate

  13. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    3/28/2025Senate

  14. HCW - Majority; do pass.

    3/26/2025Senate

  15. HCW - Executive action taken by committee.

    3/26/2025Senate

  16. First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.

    3/5/2025Senate

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

    3/3/2025Senate

  18. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/3/2025Senate

  19. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    2/26/2025Senate

  20. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/21/2025Senate

  21. HLTC - Majority; do pass.

    2/21/2025Senate

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

    2/5/2025Senate

  23. Introduced

    2/5/2025Senate

Bill Text

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