Appropriations committee advances bill to close Rainier School amid heated debate over transitions and costs

The Washington State House Appropriations Committee on 2025-10-12 voted 17-14 to report substitute Senate Bill 5393 out of committee with a do-pass recommendation, advancing legislation that would authorize transitions of residents from Regional Habilitation Centers (RHCs), including Rainier School.

Supporters said the bill is part of a larger plan requested by the executive branch to move some residents into community settings and to modernize the state’s service delivery. “We really believe that RHCs are a necessary component on the continuum of care… and this is not trying to villainize them,” the committee chair said on the floor as debate opened. The committee also noted there are appropriations in the budget intended to support transitions.

Opponents and multiple family members, caregivers and lawmakers urged the committee to pause. Representative Penner invoked the state constitution and warned that moving residents without guaranteed placements would conflict with legal duties, saying the bill “strips out the…