Concerning language access providers' collective bargaining.

 S-3695.1

SENATE BILL 5944

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2026 Regular Session

By Senators Cortes, Alvarado, Conway, Hasegawa, Nobles, Saldaña, Valdez, and C. Wilson

Prefiled 12/29/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.

AN ACT Relating to language access providers' collective bargaining; and amending RCW 41.56.157 .

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 41.56.157 and 2020 c 289 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In addition to the entities listed in RCW 41.56.101 , this chapter applies to the governor with respect to language access providers. Solely for the purposes of collective bargaining and as expressly limited under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the governor is the public employer of language access providers who, solely for the purposes of collective bargaining, are public employees. The governor or the governor's designee shall represent the public employer for bargaining purposes.