H-0824.1
HOUSE BILL 1638
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Representative Caldier
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
AN ACT Relating to enacting the good faith pain act; adding a new section to chapter 18.22 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.57 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.64 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.71 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.71A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.79 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.22 RCW to read as follows:
No podiatric physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter acting in good faith may be subject to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary action by the board or department for prescribing opioid drugs for legitimate medical purposes in the course of professional practice to a patient with chronic pain who in consultation with their practitioner has deemed an opioid prescription medically appropriate and has signed a written informed consent that is documented in the patient's medical records.