[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6110889,"mediaKeyId","2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936","parentId",2755773,"title","Committee hears bill to require diaper-changing stations in public buildings","audioSeconds",1778,"startMs",33000,"endMs",1811000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936&start=33&end=1811","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936/thumbnail_33000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6110889/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-require-diaper-changing-stations-in-public-buildings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110889-cb16b7ea420fae99ba59302bd0b90dd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1772711096&Signature=XqRuvwYNa1lNzkwmkK0nW-gYzLwzJnfdToVchPB5y6qPKlVZ1W8d3Ae32uNOjuHbl0M~fYULHDykIpg6n8wNrc~KElVDsVyK9IUWxL4~WoEbVnrFBCia9JgzYS7dbkWVhcGjS37PZpEUHhxgIcN0pCc6W9UtH81ZRD3hyEyZCnlFK1s-ID2GROpYkfWtjmJhCh2zs6zJBX2xbYhNGre4h1J6zPxtGwLleLBFmWFZBPvgC9LqGRtOOQUBiYOqj4jEXOVLiw-nHXoB9K2Qcp-fwBh4hYwU7cAB7M7rwW3gS6dJb5cgGO7VeMhrcWF-sY3WuRVFITreNDmguXAIfObr0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Local Government","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Local Government Committee on an unspecified date heard House Bill 1562, sponsored in the House by Representative Victoria Hunt, a bill that would require baby diaper changing stations in public buildings where a public restroom is required by the state building code or local regulations.

Committee staff summarized the bill’s basics: it would require at least one baby diaper changing station in a restroom accessible to women and one in a restroom accessible to men, or in one gender-neutral restroom; if multiple restrooms exist, any restroom without a changing station must display clear signage pointing to a restroom that does. John Kim, committee staff, said the bill follows a federal requirement that applies to federally owned public buildings and noted the House passed the measure 67-28.

Why it matters: supporters said the requirement would expand safe, sanitary options for caregivers (including fathers and grandparents) and reduce health risks from delayed changes; business groups said the bill balances caregiver access with installation costs and criminal-activity concerns. Representative Victoria Hunt, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure was developed with business stakeholders and has been revised across sessions to address their concerns: \"This bill has been developed in collaboration with the business community… this bill would not affect existing businesses. It's for new buildings and for when there's a major renovation,\" she said.

Key provisions and exceptions: the requirement would apply to public buildings constructed after the bill’s effective date and to existing public buildings when a permit is issued for a restroom remodel with an estimated cost of at least $15,000. The bill includes exceptions where a local government or building inspector finds installation infeasible or would conflict with standards for persons with disabilities, and it exempts certain restrooms and specified health-care facilities. The bill also establishes penalties for noncompliance and carries a fiscal note; the Department of Commerce reported an indeterminate impact on local government expenditures related to ordinance adoption and enforcement.

Stakeholder views and details: Samantha Louderback of the Washington Hospitality Association said industry stakeholders have worked on the measure for several years and supported the current version while asking for one clarifying amendment to allow removal of a station if it is being misused in a way that threatens staff or customers. Louderback said the purchase price for a fold-out plastic changing table is about $150 on average, and installation complexity depends on the restroom surface (tile vs. drywall).

Katie Beeson of the Washington Food Industry Association, representing independent grocers and convenience stores, said members back the bill as drafted but also seek the clarifying language allowing removal when changing stations invite criminal or unsafe activity: \"We support the request, to make the clarifying amendment for changing stations that are being used for nefarious activity, being able to be removed, from our stores.\" She and other industry witnesses emphasized the $15,000 remodel threshold as the trigger for the requirement, saying that threshold was chosen to avoid imposing retrofit costs on small businesses doing minor repairs.

Public testimony: Alexandra Johnson, a public-health nurse and parent, said requiring more changing stations would support shared caregiving and reduce health risks for infants and toddlers, adding, \"My husband has performed way too many diaper changes in the trunk of our car… the passage of this bill, I believe, would also increase the patronage of businesses from single dads… grandparents…\" Johnson also noted clinical concerns about infections when diaper changes are delayed.

Unresolved items and next steps: proponents noted one remaining clarifying change requested by industry to address misuse; the bill has no Senate companion and has not yet been scheduled for a committee vote in the Senate. The committee closed the hearing and moved on to other bills.

Ending note: The House passed the measure 67-28; the bill as presented would affect new construction and major restroom remodels (permits with an estimated cost of $15,000 or more) and contains ADA and feasibility exceptions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Local Government - 3/24/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Local Government Committee on an unspecified date heard House Bill 1562, sponsored by Representative Victoria Hunt, which would require baby diaper changing stations in public buildings covered by the state building code or local regulations.","taxTitle","Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20509,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6110886,"Bill would clarify tribal representation on local boards of health",753,450000,1203000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936&start=450&end=1203","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936/thumbnail_450000.jpg","/articles/6110886/Washington/Bill-would-clarify-tribal-representation-on-local-boards-of-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110886-204e75ef31af0cf3c6661ec6ece4336d/orig.mp4?Expires=1772711096&Signature=ijC1ukkL4Mpf2cxDTPu9NFXH5ra7M5G2yigczP1yatDVkm8xJIatx2xh0oZtPWMvSK3amejB9Do9Od-d8RpEfn88vlPy7~B7DLzelaalRQ4AAwBDTzmhZlZjgGG0nq5xCmNW1ytUpPTtzh-5DOfs0GoumeV0XpdfujgsDpS0lY8uFJSkdoCTr66h4J44Xh9bQ1eQ9DXqsJzsV~dQloesL37ykOwVS4PE11kOvQ68VOgM-Vokj1zzwOzA-mH2GpfnGtCR3ZuiiHR-IA6Ixsu6xdCMbVehFHqBLOqtoiBsYnHDC8Ul2svtfMTxlYmgU9J-mg7jng8pxPjnAa2d-bFAxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Local Government Committee heard House Bill 1946, sponsored in the House by Representative Natasha Hill, which seeks to clarify tribal membership on local boards of health and health district boards.

Committee staffer Karen Epps summarized current law: counties are responsible for establishing a county health department or health district and each local public-health jurisdiction is governed by a local board of health. Current membership rules require county commissioners or representatives from the county legislative authority and unelected members from three categories (health-care providers, residents who are consumers of public health, and other community stakeholders); those categories must be balanced in specified ways and approved by a majority of the board of county commissioners. Epps said the bill would add that when a federally recognized tribe holds reservation or trust lands in a county, or when an urban Indian organization registered as a 501(c)(3) serves American Indian and Alaska Native people in the county, the local board or health district board must allow a tribal representative from each such tribe or organization and the tribe or organization must select its representative.

Representative Natasha Hill said the bill grew out of lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in Spokane, where tribal organizations stepped in to deliver vaccines and other services and where the sponsor said a lack of tribal representation hindered equitable rollout. \"Increasing representation is just what it sounds like. It increases representation,\" Hill said, describing the effort as an equity measure intended to improve communication and public-health outcomes for Indigenous communities.

Key text and timelines: the bill would require the State Board of Health to adopt rules establishing timelines for modifying board membership, and those rules must take effect no later than one year after the bill’s effective date. Until the State Board of Health rules take effect, county commissioners must modify membership within 60 days of receiving notice of a tribal representative’s selection. Karen Epps noted the bill passed the House 61-36 and that a fiscal note is available; a revised fiscal note was requested on March 20.

Concerns and implementation issues: committee members asked whether adding tribal representatives would require expanding the number of elected officials on a board in order to preserve the statutory balance between elected officials and other members. Epps and Representative Hill confirmed the bill does not amend the equal-balance language; as tribal representatives are added, the number of elected officials would need to change to maintain parity. Several senators noted that some counties recently expanded the number of county commissioners and have found recruiting unelected members administratively difficult; one senator asked whether the bill provides funding to assist counties with recruitment and was told it does not.

Public comment: Medgraf Flatman testified remotely in support and tied the bill to disparate COVID-19 outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native people. Flatman said local boards in Spokane failed to prioritize communities of color in vaccine rollout and that tribal organizations used their sovereign authority to reprioritize doses for elders and other high-risk groups. \"The only way that is possible is for these communities to be on the board influencing policy themselves,\" Flatman said.

History and clarifying language: Representative Hill said earlier legislation in 2021 was interpreted by some counties to mean a single tribal representative for a region rather than one representative per tribe or organization; this bill is intended to make the original intent clear. Hill also said the final bill removed language about \"usual and accustomed\" lands to keep the board size manageable while still increasing representation.

Ending: The bill has no Senate companion; it passed the House 61-36 and remains under Senate committee review.","The Senate Local Government Committee heard House Bill 1946, sponsored by Representative Natasha Hill, which would require local boards of health and health district boards to allow a tribal representative from each federally recognized tribe holding reservation or trust lands in a county, or from each urban Indian organization registered as a 501(c)(3) that serves American Indian and Alaska Native people in the county.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6110882,"Committee advances multiple bills and forwards gubernatorial appointments in executive session",156,2454000,2610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936&start=2454&end=2610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2755773-4ddd631dec3906a74937a9c8ec560936/thumbnail_2454000.jpg","/articles/6110882/Washington/Committee-advances-multiple-bills-and-forwards-gubernatorial-appointments-in-executive-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6110882-970dc7ccd68b54bcc64831ae2bccd848/orig.mp4?Expires=1772711096&Signature=dKatcrnR3L1Be4qyXRmb0ukDREglb~IlOpLgdjnHCwlVF3Jq7OyzN69dCcgdFUaKJZ7J38q-du5e7knlATllVBeJW1gY3vBnyCUaM-UbN6X0fLoU99US2~srGfmzMsRTYClfp2hJ9vF-TMgJOjdOsgplhTTnkisI3EGyBCLjDaF3QNrpQiF0ILZDD2zWuQcMe6MpNCl-On8CJ0z3ZTrUfbbCd0OgA9rwTxLbOmfO7~g3XBpfBsFHwGge6mo35xvq4ia4TNr-5o05ZNl1giyBRXj9xSTQbg~DihtCe-uk0d6UapOD3pTGZJ7abJMXpzm00sd~oq5jmpv8R2jaW0BHWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","In an executive session following hearings, the Senate Local Government Committee moved several bills forward and issued confirmation recommendations for gubernatorial appointments.

Actions taken (committee voice votes; motions moved in committee):

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1201 (companion not specified): moved with a motion for a \"due pass recommendation\" and sent to the Rules Committee. The motion passed by voice vote and the report was noted as \"passed subject to signatures.\" Committee staff had earlier summarized the bill as requiring local governments to address co-sheltering of companion animals in emergency shelters and to provide related preparedness information on local websites; a Department of Commerce fiscal note estimated approximate costs for cities and counties.

- Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1688 (electric security alarm regulation changes): moved with a motion for a \"due pass recommendation\" and sent to the Rules Committee; the motion passed by voice vote and the bill was recorded as \"passed subject to signatures.\" Staff said the House had passed the bill 97-0 and Commerce identified an indeterminate local government impact.

- Second Substitute House Bill 1183 (building code and development regulation reforms): moved with a motion that the bill receive a due-pass recommendation and be sent to Ways and Means; the motion passed by voice vote and the bill was recorded as \"passed subject to signatures.\" Staff summarized multiple planning and development provisions affecting cities and counties under the Growth Management Act and noted a state general-fund fiscal estimate.

- Second Substitute House Bill 1935 (project permit definition changes): moved for a due-pass recommendation to Rules and passed by voice vote; recorded as \"passed subject to signatures.\" Staff said the bill passed the House 96-0 and that a fiscal note showed no fiscal impact.

- House Bill 1600 (local option marriage license fee limit increase): moved for a due-pass recommendation to Rules and passed by voice vote; recorded as \"passed subject to signatures.\" Staff stated the House passed the bill 72-23 and that county auditors reported no fiscal impact.

Gubernatorial appointments reported with confirmation recommendations (motions passed by voice vote, subject to signatures): Kathleen Craig (appointment #9055); Robert M. Bughart (appointment #9099); Trang Kaye Lam (appointment #9048).

Motions were made and approved by voice vote; the transcript records aye/nay voice responses but no roll-call tallies in committee. The committee adjourned at the close of the executive session.","During executive session the Senate Local Government Committee issued due-pass recommendations or transferred bills to other committees and reported confirmation recommendations for three gubernatorial appointees. Several bills that had been heard previously were moved forward subject to signatures; votes were voice approvals in committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears bill to require diaper-changing stations in public buildings

Bill would clarify tribal representation on local boards of health

Committee advances multiple bills and forwards gubernatorial appointments in executive session