Employment and provider bills we are tracking in 2018

Now until February 14 is a critical time to act

A bill is a draft of a proposed law. These bills have cleared the initial policy committee hurdles; some still need to clear fiscal committees. Once these hurdles are met, a Rules Committee will decide when and whether to present them to the full chamber for a vote.

If you see a bill you care about, please contact your legislators. You can click on the “Comment on” links here, or call the Legislative Hotline at 1.800.562.6000.

For TTY-ASSISTANCE: 1.800.833.6384 (voice) or 1.800.833.6388 (TTY).

See also: Where we are in the process, What you should be doing, and definitions you might find helpful

EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT

HB 2787 - Concerning creation of the select committee on supported employment services for individuals with developmental disabilities
SPONSORS: Caldier, Kilduff, Dent, Senn, Frame, Doglio, McDonald, Pollet, Santos

The committee must produce a report that includes suggested policy, administrative code, or statute changes that would allow for better outcomes for recipients of supported employment or community access services.

STATUS: Did NOT pass the House 

• Comment on HB 2787 

NOTE: The original bill had just one spot for a self-advocate, and four for family members. After self-advocates testified and asked for equal representation, the bill was amended to include 3 of each.
These related bills were introduced, but did not advance

• HB 2613 - Concerning employment services for individuals with disabilities - did not move out of committee

• HB 2683 - Concerning developmental disability supported employment provider job coaches- did not move out of committee 

• SB 6381 - Ensuring access to community-based services for developmentally disabled citizens currently served by the DDA - did not move out of committee. Its companion bill, HB 2883, also did not move out of committee

PROVIDER SERVICES

HB 2435 - Reducing training requirements for certain respite care providers who provide respite to unpaid caregivers and work three hundred hours or less in any calendar year.
SPONSORS: Kilduff, Schmick, Cody, Muri, Kagi, Tharinger, Pollet, Tarleton

Changes training requirements for individual providers who only provide respite services to Aging and Long-Term Support Administration clients and work less than 300 hours in a year.

STATUS: Passed the House 98-0. Passed the Senate 49-0. Signed by the governor March 22.

• Comment on HB 2435

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HB 2963 - Concerning the consumer directed employer program
SPONSORS: Cody, Macri

Authorizes the Department of Social and Health Services to contract with a consumer directed employer (CDE) to be the legal employer of individual providers and perform administrative functions related to providing personal care, respite care, and other services to individuals with functional disabilities.

Retains the role of the person receiving the services of an individual provider as the managing employer with the authority to select, hire, schedule, supervise, and dismiss an individual provider.

Establishes a rate-setting board and a process to set labor rates for payments to individual providers and an administrative rate to be paid to the CDE.

STATUS: Did NOT pass the House.

• Comment on HB 2963 

RESOURCE: Q&A on Consumer directed employer programs, from DSHS

NOTE: A similar bill is in the Senate:

SB 6199 - Concerning the individual provider employment administrator program
SPONSORS: Cleveland, Conway, Miloscia, Keiser, Fortunato

Authorizes the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to implement a Consumer Directed Employer (CDE) program to act as the legal employer of individual providers (IPs). Establishes a rate-setting board to determine IP labor rates and CDE administrative rates. Modifies the IP overtime expenditure requirement.

STATUS: Passed the Senate 26-21, with 2 excused. Passed the House 50-0, with 48 absent and 0 excused. (Republican caucus walked out)

Comment on SB 6199

- Ramona Hattendorf, Director of Advocacy
The Arc of King County