Back to Washington

HB2571 • 2026

Evidence of medical expenses

Concerning evidence of medical, hospital, or similar expenses occasioned by an injury.

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Zahn, Representative Thai, Representative Reed
Last action
2026-01-19
Official status
H Civil R & Judi
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Evidence of medical expenses

Evidence of medical expenses

What This Bill Does

  • Evidence of medical expenses

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-19 House

    First reading, referred to Civil Rights & Judiciary.

Official Summary Text

Evidence of medical expenses

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
AN ACT Relating to evidence of medical, hospital, or similar 1
expenses occasioned by an injury; and adding a new chapter to Title 5 2
RCW. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) In any civil action against a local 5
government for personal injuries, or in any arbitration or mediation 6
proceeding related to such civil action, evidence of the amount 7
billed for medical, hospital, or similar expenses occasioned by an 8
injury is not admissible to establish the plaintiff's damages, but 9
the plaintiff's damages may be established by evidence of the amount 10
actually paid for medical, hospital, or similar expenses occasioned 11
by an injury.12
(2) For the purpose of this section, "local government" means any 13
city, town, county, special district, municipal corporation, or 14
quasi-municipal corporation. "Special district" means a local unit of 15
government, other than a city, town, or county, authorized by law to 16
perform a single function or a limited number of functions and 17
including, but not limited to, water-sewer districts, irrigation 18
districts, fire districts, school districts, community college 19
districts, hospital districts, transportation districts, and 20
H-2945.2
HOUSE BILL 2571
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Zahn, Thai, and Reed
Read first time 01/19/26. Referred to Committee on Civil Rights &
Judiciary.
p. 1 HB 2571
metropolitan municipal corporations organized under chapter 35.58 1
RCW. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Section 1 of this act constitutes a new 3
chapter in Title 5 RCW.4
--- END ---
p. 2 HB 2571