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WashingtonSB 60812025-2026 Regular SessionSenate

Protecting Washingtonians from invasion of privacy, including the unauthorized disclosure of sex designation information and historic sex designation changes in official government records.

Sponsored By: Jamie Pedersen (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

More privacy for sex designation changes

Beginning March 16, 2026, Washington expands public-records protections for sex designation information in covered licensing and vital records. The Department of Licensing cannot share sex designation change records or supporting documents without the person's consent for a specific purpose. This also covers records sent to another jurisdiction. Credentials and digital records issued after a change must show only the current designation, without revealing that a change occurred.

Nonbinary options and sealed supporting records

Beginning March 16, 2026, the state registrar must offer a nonbinary option when amending a vital record's sex designation. The registrar must seal supporting documents related to sex designation changes. When those documents are transferred under the law's vital-records transfer rules, the State Archives cannot make them public. The archives can share those documents only with the Department of Health.

Stronger privacy checks for vital records

Beginning March 16, 2026, covered vital records and related data are protected from public inspection and copying under Washington's public-records law. Department of Health records are also protected from state or federal discovery, subpoenas, and similar legal demands. That legal-demand protection excludes certifications, informational copies issued under the chapter, and other access authorized by the chapter. The department may deny data requests that risk harm, loss of voting rights, unfair effects on the person, or conflict with the public interest. Agencies and courts may receive birth certifications for official duties, but the department can block release for those same concerns.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jamie Pedersen

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bob Hasegawa

    Democratic • Senate

  • Claire Wilson

    Democratic • Senate

  • Derek Stanford

    Democratic • Senate

  • Javier Valdez

    Democratic • Senate

  • Jessica Bateman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Manka Dhingra

    Democratic • Senate

  • Marko Liias

    Democratic • Senate

  • Noel Frame

    Democratic • Senate

  • Rebecca Saldaña

    Democratic • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 87 • No: 55

House vote • 3/3/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 57 • No: 36 • Other: 5

Senate vote • 2/11/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 30 • No: 19

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 3/16/2026.

    3/16/2026Senate

  2. Chapter 56, 2026 Laws.

    3/16/2026Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    3/16/2026legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    3/10/2026legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    3/5/2026legislature

  6. President signed.

    3/4/2026legislature

  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 57; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 5.

    3/3/2026Senate

  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/3/2026Senate

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

    3/2/2026Senate

  10. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    2/25/2026Senate

  11. SGOV - Majority; do pass.

    2/24/2026Senate

  12. Minority; without recommendation.

    2/24/2026Senate

  13. SGOV - Executive action taken by committee.

    2/24/2026Senate

  14. First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.

    2/14/2026Senate

  15. Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    2/11/2026Senate

  16. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    2/11/2026Senate

  17. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    2/11/2026Senate

  18. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    2/10/2026Senate

  19. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/6/2026Senate

  20. TRAN - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

    2/5/2026Senate

  21. Minority; without recommendation.

    2/5/2026Senate

  22. Minority; do not pass.

    2/5/2026Senate

  23. Referred to Transportation.

    1/26/2026Senate

  24. Minority; without recommendation.

    1/23/2026Senate

  25. Minority; do not pass.

    1/23/2026Senate

Bill Text

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