Washington SB 5051: Concerning state oversight and accountability of peace officers and corrections officers.

Bill Text

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SENATE BILL 5051
Chapter 5, Laws of 2025
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
NURSING ASSISTANTS—REGULATORY AUTHORITY
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026—Except for section 2, which takes
effect June 30, 2027.
Passed by the Senate February 7, 2025
Yeas 49 Nays 0
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Passed by the House March 26, 2025
Yeas 98 Nays 0
LAURIE JINKINS
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
CERTIFICATE
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
Washington, do hereby certify that
the attached is SENATE BILL 5051 as
passed by the Senate and the House
of Representatives on the dates
hereon set forth.
SARAH BANNISTER
Secretary
Approved April 4, 2025 11:08 AM FILED
April 7, 2025
BOB FERGUSON
Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to consolidating regulatory authority for nursing 1
assistants; amending RCW 18.79.070, 18.79.070, 18.88A.020, 2
18.88A.030, 18.88A.040, 18.88A.050, 18.88A.060, 18.88A.080, 3
18.88A.082, 18.88A.085, 18.88A.087, 18.88A.088, 18.88A.090, 4
18.88A.110, 18.88A.120, 18.88A.150, 18.88A.210, and 18.88B.060; 5
reenacting and amending RCW 18.130.040; repealing RCW 18.88A.100; 6
providing effective dates; and providing an expiration date.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:8
Sec. 1. RCW 18.79.070 and 2022 c 240 s 32 are each amended to 9
read as follows:10
(1) The state ((nursing care quality assurance commission)) board 11
of nursing is established, consisting of ((fifteen)) 17 members to be 12
appointed by the governor to four-year terms. The governor shall 13
consider nursing members who are recommended for appointment by the 14
appropriate professional associations in the state. No person may 15
serve as a member of the ((commission)) board for more than two 16
consecutive full terms.17
(2) There must be seven registered nurse members, two advanced 18
registered nurse practitioner members, ((three)) two licensed 19
practical nurse members, two certified nursing assistant members, a 20
registered nurse or licensed practical nurse member, and three public 21
SENATE BILL 5051
Passed Legislature - 2025 Regular Session
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Bateman, Riccelli, Cleveland, Nobles, and Wellman; by
request of Washington State Board of Nursing
Prefiled 12/13/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Health & Long-Term Care.
p. 1 SB 5051.SL

members on the ((commission)) board. Each member of the 1
((commission)) board must be a resident of this state.2
(3)(a) Registered nurse members of the ((commission)) board must:3
(i) Be licensed as registered nurses under this chapter; and4
(ii) Have had at least three years' experience in the active 5
practice of nursing and have been engaged in that practice within two 6
years of appointment.7
(b) In addition:8
(i) At least one member must be on the faculty at a four-year 9
university nursing program;10
(ii) At least one member must be on the faculty at a two-year 11
community college nursing program;12
(iii) At least two members must be staff nurses providing direct 13
patient care; and14
(iv) At least one member must be a nurse manager or a nurse 15
executive.16
(4) Advanced registered nurse practitioner members of the 17
((commission)) board must:18
(a) Be licensed as advanced registered nurse practitioners under 19
this chapter; and20
(b) Have had at least three years' experience in the active 21
practice of advanced registered nursing and have been engaged in that 22
practice within two years of appointment.23
(5) Licensed practical nurse members of the ((commission)) board 24
must:25
(a) Be licensed as licensed practical nurses under this chapter; 26
and27
(b) Have had at least three years' actual experience as a 28
licensed practical nurse and have been engaged in practice as a 29
practical nurse within two years of appointment.30
(6) Certified nursing assistant members of the board must:31
(a) Be currently employed as certified nursing assistants, 32
licensed under chapter 18.88A RCW; and33
(b) Have at least two years' experience as a certified nursing 34
assistant.35
(7) The registered nurse or licensed practical nurse member must 36
be currently either a program director or educator in an approved 37
nursing assistant training program.38
(8) Public members of the ((commission)) board may not be a 39
member of any other health care licensing board or commission, or 40
p. 2 SB 5051.SL

have a fiduciary obligation to a facility rendering health services 1
regulated by the ((commission)) board, or have a material or 2
financial interest in the rendering of health services regulated by 3
the ((commission)) board.4
((In appointing the initial members of the *commission, it is the 5
intent of the legislature that, to the extent possible, the governor 6
appoint the existing members of the board of nursing and the board of 7
practical nursing repealed under chapter 9, Laws of 19