ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2168
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By House Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Manjarrez, Dent, Dufault, Barnard, Mendoza, Graham, Pollet, and Bernbaum)
READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
AN ACT Relating to the facilitation of rapid sharing of overdose mapping information for overdose prevention; amending RCW 70.168.090 ; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that substance use disorder and drug overdose is a major health problem that affects the lives of many people and multiple service systems, and leads to profound consequences, including permanent injury or death. Accidental overdoses caused by opioids and other legal and illegal drugs are a Washington state health crisis that stress and strain the financial, public health, health care, and public safety resources in Washington state. This impact occurs because there are few central databases that can quickly help identify this problem and limited funding for support to mitigate the crisis and risks statewide.
(2) The legislature finds there is a need for collaboration among local, regional, and state agencies and service systems within Washington, and other partners to establish a comprehensive system addressing the problems associated with overdoses and to reduce duplicative requirements across local, county, state, public safety, and health care agencies. Formalized collaboration will allow these entities to combine their numerous resources and strengths, thus reducing insular decision making. Contemporaneous data collection about, and analysis of, confirmed or suspected overdoses within Washington will further allow state and local agencies to focus on specific areas where the following are needed most in order to maximize resources: (a) Outreach and implementation of risk reduction strategies; (b) real-time notification of spikes in overdose activity; (c) public education about overdose prevention; and (d) treatment, supportive services, and other health care options to reduce demand.