S-3915.2
SENATE BILL 6159
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Senators Dhingra, Cleveland, Bateman, Cortes, Lovelett, Nobles, Robinson, Saldaña, Shewmake, Valdez, and Wellman
Read first time 01/15/26. Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to strengthening public hospitals; amending RCW 70.44.450 and 70.37.020 ; adding new sections to chapter 48.14 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that hospitals owned and operated by public entities play unique roles in their communities, serving as safety net providers, treating all patients, even those who are medically complex, low income, uninsured, or underinsured. Often these patients cannot access care at other nonpublic facilities and must rely on public hospitals as a result. These hospitals' adherence to this public mission imperils their financial stability, especially as access to public reimbursement programs and other forms of financial support decline. The continued viability of public hospitals and the access to care they provide for all members of their communities are a matter of significant public concern. The legislature finds that competition between public hospitals is not practical or desirable and instead may harm these hospitals' ability to fulfill their public mission. It is the intent of this act to foster the development of cooperative and collaborative arrangements among all public hospitals to support their public mission. To this end, the legislature intends to authorize these entities to enter agreements, contracts, and other arrangements on a noncompetitive basis.
Sec. 2. RCW 70.44.450 and 1992 c 161 s 3 are each amended to read as follows: