H-3330.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1496
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By House Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Berry, Bronoske, Abbarno, Lekanoff, Doglio, Peterson, Reed, Griffey, Simmons, Goodman, Parshley, Ormsby, Fosse, Pollet, Hill, Salahuddin, and Scott)
READ FIRST TIME 02/03/26.
AN ACT Relating to strengthening patients' rights regarding their health care information by promoting access to information and providing enforcement protections for the appropriate use of the information; amending RCW 70.02.010 , 70.02.010 , 70.02.030 , 70.02.080 , 70.02.090 , 70.02.170 , and 70.02.220 ; reenacting and amending RCW 70.02.260 ; adding a new section to chapter 70.02 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.02 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, RCW 70.02.370 , and the federal health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 and its implementing regulations, a health care provider or health care facility may charge a reasonable fee for providing health care information to a person and is not required to honor an authorization until the fee is paid.