Adoptions

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The department of social and health services (department) is amending WAC 388-449-0080 Sequential evaluation process step IV — How does the department evaluate if I am able to perform relevant past work? These amendments are necessary to align aged, blind, or disabled (ABD) program rules with the Social Security Administration's revision of the definition of "past relevant work" by reducing the relevant work period from 15 to five ye

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The office of minority and women's business enterprises (OMWBE) is the sole certifying agency for small minority, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprises. OMWBE has both a state and federal certification program with similar rules. On April 9, 2024, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced that the disadvantaged business enterprise and airport concessions disadvantaged business

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: This amended language updates the declaration printed on ballot return envelopes in compliance with SB 5890 and the requirements for instructions accompanying ballot packets. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 434-230-015. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 29A.04.611 . Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-21-117 on October 21, 2024. Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Subsection (1): C

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-536-010, 16-536-020, and 16-536-040. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.050 , 15.89.050 , 15.115.0

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-532-010, 16-532-020, 16-532-030, 16-532-060, and 16-532-135. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.05

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-529-010, 16-529-040, 16-529-070, 16-529-110, and 16-529-140. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.05

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Military spouse temporary practice license; WAC 246-918-076 (physician assistants) and 246-919-397 (allopathic physicians), How to obtain an expedited temporary license — Military spouse. The Washington medical commission adopted amendments to WAC 246-918-076 and 246-919-397 to align with the provisions of 2SHB 1009 (chapter 165, Laws of 2023), also known as the Military Spouse Employment Act, codified under RCW 18.340.020 . These am

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The WAC will be updated to fix a typographical error. This will clarify the program standards that school counselor programs need to meet during their review. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 181-78A-225. Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 28A.410 RCW. Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-20-049 on December 3, 2024 [September 25, 2024]. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: N

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The department of revenue is amending WAC 458-20-10201 and 458-20-166 to incorporate 2024 legislation, SB 6215 (section 3) and HB 2137, respectively. SB 6215 (section 3) amended the definition of "contractor" to include plumbing contractor activities in RCW 18.106.010 . HB 2137 exempted certain lodging from tourism promotion area assessments if authorized by the legislative authority of a local government. In addition to the new exem

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: The department of revenue (department) is adopting these rules with an effective date of January 1st because, per statute, these rules provide rates used for refunds and property valuations during 2025. Purpose: The department is amending: WAC 458-18-220 to provide the rate of interest for treasury bill auction year 2024, which is used when refunding p

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: To align with the requirements of the Climate Commitment Act, this rule making adopts amendments to chapter 173-441 WAC, Reporting of emissions of greenhouse gases; and chapter 173-446 WAC, Climate Commitment Act program rule. These amendments help determine which entities will be responsible for emissions associated with electricity imported from centralized electricity markets. This rule does not modify the eligibility criteria for

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Expanding access to drugs stored outside of the pharmacy by unlicensed health care facility staff. The pharmacy quality assurance commission (commission) is adopting amendments to WAC 246-945-455 to allow access to drugs stored outside of the pharmacy by unlicensed staff in health care facilities for the purposes of supply chain management. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-945-455. Statutory Authority for Ad

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The Washington state legislature passed ESSB 6105, chapter 250, Laws of 2024, during the 2024 legislative session. ESSB 6105, codified under RCW 49.46.360 , establishes the following protections for entertainers at adult entertainment establishments: • Leasing or other fees must apply equally to all entertainers in an establishment, be stated in a written contract, and continue for at least three months; • Establishments may not char

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: This rule making implements the requirements of section 1 of ESSB 6105, chapter 250, Laws of 2024, codified under RCW 49.17.470 . The department of labor and industries' (L&I) division of occupational safety and health (DOSH) is required to implement and enforce ESSB 6105, which addresses safety and health standards for entertainers at adult entertainment establishments. ESSB 6105, codified as RCW 49.17.470 , becomes effective Januar

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The insurance commissioner is adopting consolidated health care regulations due to the passage of insurance-related legislation. Currently, multiple provisions of health insurance-related regulations in WAC need to be updated by the office of the insurance commissioner to be consistent with enacted legislation codified in RCW, as well as recent federal law changes. These rules will facilitate implementation of the legislation by ensu

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: This rule is necessary to update the existing chapter 284-43B WAC to include ground ambulance services in the Balance Billing Protection Act (BBPA) under SSB 5986 (chapter 218, Laws of 2024). The rule ensures that affected entities understand their rights and obligations under the new law. The rule updates the BBPA rules including, but not limited to, arbitrator fees and processes authorized under RCW 48.49.135 . The rule also adds a

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: To align the civil service rules (Title 357 WAC) with the requirements of the new law. ESSB 5793, chapter 356, Laws of 2024, passed during the 2024 legislative session, effective January 1, 2025. Section 1 of this bill amends RCW 49.46.210 (1)(b)(iii) to clarify that an employee is authorized to use paid sick leave when the employee's child's school or place of care has been closed after the declaration of an emergency by a local or state governm

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: The health care authority is amending WAC 182-545-200 to expand payment criteria for occupational therapy. Specifically, amending subsection (4)(j)(iv) to change "age two or younger" to "age six or younger." Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 182-545-200. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 41.05.021 , 41.05.160 . Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-21-019 on October 4, 2024. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply wi

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The health care authority is amending WAC 182-507-0130 and 182-509-0001 to update the income and resource eligibility standards for the refugee medical assistance program. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 182-507-0130 and 182-509-0001. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 41.05.021 , 41.05.160 . Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-21-013 on October 3, 2024. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Fe

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The department of ecology (ecology) adopted updates to the human health criteria and associated footnotes in Table 240 of WAC 173-201A-240 Toxic substances, to remove state-adopted human health criteria that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disapproved and adopt as state law federal human health criteria that EPA promulgated for Washington. Human health criteria are pollution limits on toxic substances that are set to protec

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: This rule adoption amends the tables of classification base premium rates, experience rating plan parameters, and experience modification factor calculation limitations for the workers' compensation insurance program for calendar year 2025. Classification base rates were updated to align with expected losses. The department of labor and industries (L&I) is adopting a 3.8 percent overall average premium rate increase. Washington law provides that

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: Since January 1, 2023, transportation network companies (TNCs) have reported and paid premiums for hours their drivers worked during dispatch and passenger platform time in Classification 1401 with taxis. The department of labor and industries (L&I) has researched and evaluated the impact of TNCs on Classification 1401 and determined TNCs represent at least 95 percent of the classification. This rule-making adoption creates a new risk classificat

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Continuing education (CE) requirements for osteopathic physicians. The board of osteopathic medicine and surgery (board) has adopted amendments to WAC 246-853-080 to update the CE requirements for licensure renewal of osteopathic physicians to clarify Washington-specific mandated CE requirements. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-853-080. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.57.005 , 18.130.050 , 18.130.2

Effective Date of Rule: November 30, 2024. Other Findings Required by Other Provisions of Law as Precondition to Adoption or Effectiveness of Rule: The United States Department of Education's final rule under Title IX imposed a deadline of August 1, 2024, to implement updates. Renton Technical College (college) enacted these rules under an emergency rule filing which is set to expire on December 2, 2024. Purpose: To bring the college's student conduct code (code) into compliance with a new final

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Allowing virtual training for point injection therapy for acupuncture and Eastern medicine. The department of health (department) received a rule petition on June 2, 2023, asking for rule making for point injection therapy training flexibility from the Washington Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Association (WAEMA) and from an individual who provides point injection therapy education and training. In consultation with the acupuncture

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Military spouses; reducing barriers to temporary practice permits for dental licenses. The dental quality assurance commission amended WAC 246-817-187 by removing the requirement for military spouses who hold a license in another state to first leave employment before applying for a temporary practice permit in Washington state. The adopted rule aligns with 2SHB 1009 (chapter 165, Laws of 2023), codified in RCW 18.340.020 , which alt

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Pharmacy intern credentials; extending the duration of temporary practice permits for pharmacy interns and establishing a renewal extension process for pharmacy interns. The pharmacy quality assurance commission (commission) is adopting amendments to WAC 246-945-155 and 246-945-156 related to pharmacy intern registration requirements. Specifically, the commission amended WAC 246-945-155 to grant additional renewals to pharmacy intern

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Prescription transfer requirements; the pharmacy quality assurance commission (commission) is adopting amendments to WAC 246-945-345 and new WAC 246-945-346 in chapter 246-945 WAC to establish the expectations of pharmacies related to noncontrolled and controlled substance prescription transfers upon patient request. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 246-945-346; and amending WAC 246-945-345. Statutory Authority for A

Effective Date of Rule: July 1, 2025. Purpose: Occupational therapy temporary permit and fee updates. The occupational therapy practice board (board) and the department of health (department) are adopting amendments to the temporary permit and fee rules in response to 2SHB 1009 (chapter 165, Laws of 2023), codified as RCW 18.340.020 . Amendments to WAC 246-847-117 align with the statute by reducing barriers for military spouses entering and remaining in the occupational therapy workforce. The ad

Effective Date of Rule: July 1, 2025. Purpose: Occupational therapy (OT) licensure and endorsement; reducing barriers and amending code of ethics requirements. The occupational therapy practice board (board) is adopting rule amendments to implement section 8 of 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), codified as RCW 18.130.077 , to reduce barriers to entering and remaining in the OT workforce. Additionally, the board is updating the continuing education (CE) to align with national standards and t

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: Update limited certificate policy and establish substitute assignment policy. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 181-79A-231, 181-79A-232, and 181-82-107. Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 28A.410 RCW. Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-20-041 on November 15, 2024 [September 24, 2024]. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Stand

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: To finishing updating certificate renewal requirements to align with recent legislation. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 181-79A-244. Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 28A.410 RCW. Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-18-033 [24-20-042] on November 14, 2024 [September 24, 2024]. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards:

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-520-003, 16-520-010, 16-520-035, and 16-520-040. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.050 , 15.89.05

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-501-525. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.050 , 15.89.050 , 15.115.060 , 16.67.060 . Other Autho

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: In response to a petition for rule making, the department of agriculture is proposing to clarify current rule language by replacing all gender-specific pronouns with modern gender-inclusive pronouns. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-516-003, 16-516-010, 16-516-020,16-516-040, and 16-516-205. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 15.24.035 , 15.26.060 , 15.28.023 , 15.44.021 , 15.65.240 , 15.66.113 , 15.88.050

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The building code council was petitioned to amend items 5 and 7 of Section C403.1.4 in the 2021 Washington State Energy Code, commercial provisions, to include options other than electric resistance heaters as supplemental heating for air-to-air heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 51-11C-40314. Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 19.27A.020 , 19.27A.025 . Other Authority:

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The department of social and health services is adopting chapter 388-487 WAC, Sun bucks, to include WAC 388-487-0010 What is the sun bucks program?, 388-487-0020 Is my child eligible for sun bucks?, and 388-487-0030 General information about sun bucks benefits. Adoption of these rules supports implementation of the summer electronic benefits transfer program, also known as sun bucks. Sun bucks is a new program authorized under the Co

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: In WAC 182-501-0070, the health care authority (HCA) removed naturopathy from the noncovered services list. In WAC 182-502-0002, HCA added birth doula as an eligible provider type. This is necessary to support a separate rule making filed under WSR 24-10-016, on April 19, 2024. HCA also added behavior health support specialist as an eligible provider type. This is necessary to support a separate rule making filed under WSR 24-16-024, on July 26,

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The Washington State University (university) is updating the rules regarding standards of conduct for students, chapter 504-26 WAC. The university is modifying, clarifying, and updating the standards of conduct for students to comply with Title IX regulations and improve the university's conduct and academic integrity violation processes. The federal Department of Education (DOE) promulgated regulations updating the requirements rega

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: The Washington state noxious weed list provides the basis for noxious weed control efforts for county and district weed control boards, as well as other entities. This rule-making order amends chapter 16-750 WAC by: Updates to the noxious weed list: WAC 16-750-005 Class A noxious weed changes and additions, addition of round leaf bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus and addition of marsh thistle, Cirsium palustre . WAC 16-750-011 Class B noxious we

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: The department of labor and industries (L&I) is adopting permanent sections implementing RCW 49.17.510 , related to the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for workers working on or near high voltage lines and equipment. L&I added the requirements in WAC 296-32-22515 First aid, and 296-45-125 Medical services and first aid. The law requires employers who build, maintain, and operate high voltage systems 601 volts and over to

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: The purpose of this rule making is to implement requirements of SHB 2127, chapter 90, Laws of 2024, under chapter 296-19A WAC, Vocational rehabilitation. This rule making corrects RCW subsection references, updates benefit amounts for job modification and prejob accommodations, and clarifies the ability of vocational counselors to help workers access skill enhancement training and how these skills are reported. The department of labor and industr

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: Classification development's goal is to implement clear rule writing to ensure staff and customers can easily understand and apply the workers' compensation insurance classification and reporting rules. Classification development studied some subclassifications for potential reduction in number; and reviewed classification and reporting rules for improvement and clarification. The purpose of this rule making is not to make substantive changes to

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: The purpose of this rule making is to implement requirements of SHB 2127, chapter 90, Laws of 2024, under chapter 296-16 WAC, Employer—Worker reemployment incentives; and chapter 296-16A WAC, Stay-at-work program. This rule making increases the maximum amounts an employer may be reimbursed by the stay-at-work program and the preferred worker program. These programs provide financial incentives to employers when they help injured workers return to

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: The department of revenue (department) is implementing ESHB 2003 (2024) by adding the new leasehold excise tax exemption in RCW 82.29A.139 for affordable housing on public lands, and moving all existing affordable housing exemptions to the same portion of the rule. The department is also codifying the existing leasehold excise tax exemptions in RCW 82.29A.137 for certain leasehold interests related to the manufacture of superefficien

Effective Date of Rule: January 1, 2025. Purpose: RCW 18.43.150 and 18.210.200 requires the board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors to "set fees at a level adequate to pay the costs of administering this chapter." Fee increases are needed to mitigate the risk of fund balance depletion due to expenses exceeding revenues and to offset the rising costs associated with inflation and to cover the expanding expenses of our programs. By implementing this fee increase, we can

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing. Purpose: To bring Columbia Basin College's student conduct code (code) into compliance with a new final rule governing sex discrimination grievance procedure recently adopted by the United States Department of Education and to update the code to ensure its prohibited conduct and procedures adequately protect the interests of the college community and the constitutional and procedural rights of individual students. Citation of Rules Affected b