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Committee reports three health bills out of committee with unanimous or near-unanimous support
Summary
The committee advanced House Bills 1190, 1234 and 1238 with due-pass recommendations; each bill received unanimous or near-unanimous committee support and minimal debate.
The House Health Care & Wellness Committee reported three bills out of committee with due-pass recommendations after brief discussion or staff presentations.
House Bill 1190: The committee voted by expedited voice vote to report House Bill 1190 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. The bill adds psychology associates and mental health counselor associates to an existing program (described in testimony as expanding access to clinical resources); staff said there were no amendments and no fiscal note was reported to the committee. Representative Marshall recommended a pass, saying the bill would help close gaps in mental health access. The committee staff announced the tally as 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused.
House Bill 1234: The committee approved House Bill 1234 by expedited oral roll call. Staff summarized the bill as adjusting membership of the mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, and social worker advisory committee to add one position. Representative Simmons urged support. Staff reported 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused; the bill was reported out with a due-pass recommendation.
House Bill 1238: The committee reported Substitute House Bill 1238 — which would establish an advisory council on rare diseases within the University of Washington School of Medicine — out of committee with a due-pass recommendation after an adopted amendment (Pool 091) that requires patient representatives to be Washington residents. Committee members spoke in favor, and staff announced 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused.
Why it matters: Each bill changes professional or advisory-board membership or creates an advisory council, affecting how state policy engages with mental health practitioners and rare-disease stakeholders. The expedited votes indicate the committee treated these items as noncontroversial after the limited discussion and adopted technical amendments where needed.
Votes at a glance (committee-level outcomes)
- House Bill 1190: Reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused. (Adds psychology associates and mental health counselor associates to program.) - House Bill 1234: Reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused. (Adjusts advisory committee membership for mental health professions.) - Substitute House Bill 1238: Reported out of committee with a due-pass recommendation. Vote: 18 ayes, 0 nays, 1 excused. (Establishes advisory council on rare diseases at UW School of Medicine; adopted amendment Pool 091 requires patient representatives be Washington residents.)
