Home care aide certification

AN ACT Relating to delaying the home care aide certification 1
requirements; amending RCW 18.88B.021; adding a new section to 2
chapter 18.88B RCW; and providing an expiration date.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.88B 5
RCW to read as follows: 6
(1) The department shall adopt rules to allow long-term care 7
workers additional time to become certified as the office of the 8
state auditor completes their biennial performance audit under 9
section 201, chapter 1, Laws of 2012 (Initiative Measure No. 1163), 10
on the training requirements and competency assessments for home care 11
aides and shall provide recommendations for the consideration of the 12
legislature. Rules adopted under this section must be effective until 13
90 days after adjournment of the session proceeding the publishing of 14
the 2026 biennial performance audit under section 201, chapter 1, 15
Laws of 2012 (Initiative Measure No. 1163). 16
(2) This section expires December 31, 2027. 17
Sec. 2. RCW 18.88B.021 and 2023 c 424 s 2 are each amended to 18
read as follows: 19
S-1099.2
SENATE BILL 5672
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Muzzall, Cleveland, Chapman, Dozier, and Nobles
Read first time 02/05/25. Referred to Committee on Health & Long-
Term Care.
p. 1 SB 5672
(1) Beginning January 7, 2012, except as provided in RCW 1
18.88B.041 and section 1 of this act , any person hired as a long-term 2
care worker must be certified as a home care aide as provided in this 3
chapter within 200 calendar days after the date of hire. A long-term 4
care worker who is not currently certified or eligible to reactivate 5
an expired credential shall receive a new date of hire when beginning 6
work with either a new employer or returning to a former employer 7
after prior employment has ended. 8
(2)(a) No person may practice or, by use of any title or 9
description, represent himself or herself as a certified home care 10
aide without being certified as provided in this chapter.11
(b) This section does not prohibit a person: (i) From practicing 12
a profession for which the person has been issued a license or which 13
is specifically authorized under this state's laws; or (ii) who is 14
exempt from certification under RCW 18.88B.041 from providing 15
services as a long-term care worker. 16
(c) In consultation with consumer and worker representatives, the 17
department shall, by January 1, 2013, establish by rule a single 18
scope of practice that encompasses both long-term care workers who 19
are certified home care aides and long-term care workers who are 20
exempted from certification under RCW 18.88B.041. 21
(3) If a pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of 22
emergency impacts the ability of long-term care workers to complete 23
certification as required by this section, the department may adopt 24
rules to allow long-term care workers additional time to become 25
certified. 26
(a) Rules adopted under this subsection (3) are effective until 27
the termination of the pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared 28
state of emergency or until the department determines that additional 29
time for long-term care workers to become certified is no longer 30
necessary, whichever is later. Once the department determines a rule 31
adopted under this subsection (3) is no longer necessary, it must 32
repeal the rule under RCW 34.05.353. 33
(b) Within 12 months of the termination of the pandemic, natural 34
disaster, or other declared state of emergency, the department shall 35
conduct a review of certification compliance with subsection (1) of 36
this section and rules adopted under this subsection (3) and provide 37
the legislature with a report. 38
p. 2 SB 5672
(4) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.1
--- END ---
p. 3 SB 5672