Dear friends & neighbors,
We finished our work of moving house policy bills off the floor and are now hearing senate policy bills in committee. This year, as a newly minted committee chair, things were a little different for me. The Healthcare and Wellness Committee had the more bills referred to it than any other policy committee in the house. Over 90 bills were referred to us and it was my job to work with my colleagues and non-partisan staff to analyze the information presented and listen to stakeholders to make sure we moved the best policies forward.
When I was elected HCW Chair I made it clear my goals were to increase industry transparency, expand access to care, and drive down costs. I’m proud to say that the bills making their way to the floor this session will help make these ideals realities.
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Priority HCW bills moving to the floor
- HB 1382 – Modernizes the Washington All Payers Claim Database (WA-APCD) by removing references to “proprietary financial information” in statutes related to the database. This will increase the usability of certain data and make it easier for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to identify cost drivers in the healthcare system.
- HB 1432 – Improves access to mental health care by better coordinating amongst providers so that more mental health and substance abuse treatments are deemed medically necessary and covered by insurance.
- HB 1686 – Creates the Washington Healthcare Entity Registry in order to better understand vertical and horizontal integration in Washington state’s healthcare industry to help keep costs down. This registry will inform the work of the legislature, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and the Washington Healthcare Cost Transparency Board in helping to ease the financial burdens on consumers. This legislation is still a work in progress and has involved working with stakeholders to ensure it won’t do the opposite of it’s intended goal.
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Rep. Bronoske’s bills continue moving on
- HB 1173 – Requires workers at high hazard facilities be paid a prevailing wage.
- HB 1628 – Establishes the Washington State Fire Policy Board to advise the Director of Fire Protection on the State Fire Marshall’s Office.
- HB 1270 – Allows local governments operating deferred compensation programs to automatically enroll new employees in accordance with plan rules, unless employees affirmatively choose not to participate.
- HB 1589 – Increases access to healthcare services by allowing the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to determine whether or not providers are providing services to insurance plan enrollees.
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Real ID: What you need to know
Starting May 7, 2025, you will not be able to board domestic flights or access certain federal facilities with a standard WA State driver’s license or ID. Domestic air travel will require either an Enhanced Driver’s License or another REAL ID compliant document, including Green Cards, military ID, and passports. Go here for a full list of accepted documents.
This will not affect non-air travel, and you will still be able to drive across state lines or travel by rail without issue. Washington state will continue to provide driver’s license and Identicard options to residents. Learn more about REAL ID and costs here.
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Join us for the 28th LD Telephone Town Hall
We look forward to hearing from you on April 2, at 6:30pm
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As always, it’s an honor serving you in Olympia and my door is always open.
In Solidarity,
Rep. Dan Bronoske
State Representative, 28th Legislative District