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SB5990 • 2026

Rural local health officers

Expanding the qualifications of those who may serve as a local health officer in rural counties.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator Muzzall
Last action
2026-02-26
Official status
S Rules X
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.

Rural local health officers

Rural local health officers

What This Bill Does

  • Rural local health officers

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

5990-S AMS MUZZ S5317.1

709 • Muzzall

NOT CONSIDERED

Plain English: 5990-S AMS MUZZ S5317.1 SSB 5990 - S AMD 709 By Senator Muzzall NOT CONSIDERED 03/12/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.

  • 5990-S AMS MUZZ S5317.1 SSB 5990 - S AMD 709 By Senator Muzzall NOT CONSIDERED 03/12/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.
  • 1.
  • RCW 70.05.050 and 1996 c 178 s 19 are each amended to 3 read as follows: 4 ((The)) (1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the 5 local health officer shall be an experienced physician licensed to 6 practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in 7 this state and who is qualified or provisionally qualified in 8 accordance with the standards prescribed in RCW 70.05.051 through 9 70.05.055 to hold the office of local health officer.10 (b) The local health officer may be a person licensed to practice 11 as an advanced registered nurse practitioner under chapter 18.79 RCW 12 and who is qualified or provisionally qualified in accordance with 13 the standards prescribed in RCW 70.05.051 through 70.05.055 to hold 14 the office of local health officer if:15 (i) The county where the person will hold the office of local 16 health officer has a population of less than 100,000; and17 (ii) The local health department where the person will hold the 18 office of local health officer has an interlocal agreement adopted 19 pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW with a local health department or a 20 local health district with a local health officer qualified under (a) 21 of this subsection for formal consultation services.
  • The department 22 may, by rule, establish standards for interlocal agreements providing 23 formal consultation services.24 (2) No term of office shall be established for the local health 25 officer but the local health officer shall not be removed until after 26 notice is given, and an opportunity for a hearing before the board or 27 official responsible for his or her appointment under this section as 28 to the reason for his or her removal.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Senate Rules "X" file.

Official Summary Text

Rural local health officers

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to expanding the qualifications of those who may 1
serve as a local health officer in rural counties; and amending RCW 2
70.05.050. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 70.05.050 and 1996 c 178 s 19 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
((The)) (1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the 7
local health officer shall be an experienced physician licensed to 8
practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in 9
this state and who is qualified or provisionally qualified in 10
accordance with the standards prescribed in RCW 70.05.051 through 11
70.05.055 to hold the office of local health officer.12
(b) In counties with a population of less than 100,000 as of the 13
effective date of this section, a person may hold the office of local 14
health officer if the person is licensed to practice as an advanced 15
practice registered nurse under chapter 18.79 RCW or as a physician 16
assistant under chapter 18.71A RCW.17
(2) No term of office shall be established for the local health 18
officer but the local health officer shall not be removed until after 19
notice is given, and an opportunity for a hearing before the board or 20
S-3601.1
SENATE BILL 5990
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator Muzzall
Prefiled 01/05/26.
p. 1 SB 5990
official responsible for his or her appointment under this section as 1
to the reason for his or her removal. 2
(3) The local health officer shall act as executive secretary to, 3
and administrative officer for the local board of health and shall 4
also be empowered to employ such technical and other personnel as 5
approved by the local board of health except where the local board of 6
health has appointed an administrative officer under RCW 70.05.040. 7
The local health officer shall be paid such salary and allowed such 8
expenses as shall be determined by the local board of health.9
(4) In home rule counties that are part of a health district 10
under this chapter and chapter 70.46 RCW the local health officer and 11
administrative officer shall be appointed by the local board of 12
health. 13
--- END ---
p. 2 SB 5990