Z-0625.2
HOUSE BILL 2706
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Representative Ormsby; by request of Office of Financial Management
Read first time 01/29/26. Referred to Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to an administrative process for adjudicating department of children, youth, and families tort claims against the state; amending RCW 7.06.050 , 34.05.425 , 34.12.040 , 4.92.040 , 4.92.075 , 4.92.090 , 4.92.110 , 4.92.130 , 4.92.150 , 4.92.160 , 4.92.210 , 4.92.220 , 4.92.220 , and 44.44.040 ; adding a new section to chapter 4.92 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 43.19.778 ; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) It is the intent of the legislature to establish a claims commission within the office of administrative hearings to address ballooning payments from the liability account, also known as the self-insurance liability account. The liability account is used to pay tort claims, judgments, and settlements arising from general liability when the state is found to be wholly or partially negligent. The legislature finds that there has been a steep increase in the number and payouts of tort claims in recent years following legislative changes and court rulings. As a result, the liability account has been in a continuous and growing cash deficit position.
(2) The legislature finds that liability for the department of children, youth, and families has increased exponentially, primarily due to historical childhood abuse claims. In 2019, the state supreme court decided H.B.H. v. State , 192 Wn.2d 154, which defined the state's liability for childhood abuse claims. In fiscal year 2019, the year of the ruling, 157 claims were filed against the department of children, youth, and families. In fiscal year 2025, 1,455 claims were filed against the department of children, youth, and families, an increase of over 800 percent. Agency insurance premiums have not been raised quickly enough to capture this dramatic increase in cases. The liability account, the account used to pay the awards in these cases, is facing a $1,300,000,000 to $1,400,000,000 shortfall this fiscal biennium.