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Committee hears technical fix to preserve pregnancy-accommodation practices
Summary
Senate Bill 6014 would clarify the Healthy Starts Act to prevent routine doctor-note requirements for basic pregnancy accommodations and create a public-records exemption for pregnancy-related filings at L&I; sponsor and advocates urged passage to preserve access.
The Senate Labor & Commerce Committee heard Senate Bill 6014, a narrowly tailored bill to correct drafting issues in last year's Healthy Starts Act and to protect the privacy of pregnancy-related filings.
Marlon Yanez, staff to the committee, said the 2025 statute expands reasonable-accommodation requirements (restroom breaks, lifting limits, time and private space to express milk) and addresses when employers may request written certification. SB 6014 would create a public-records exemption for records that contain personal information revealing pregnancy status when filed with or maintained by the Department of Labor and Industries, and it clarifies that employers may not require a doctor's note for five specific routine accommodations.
Sponsor Sen. Tawana Nobles said the bill restores prior practice and avoids imposing unnecessary burdens on pregnant and postpartum workers. "These are basic common sense accommodations that help people stay healthy at work," Nobles said, and added the change was intended to preserve privacy expectations similar to HIPAA.
Witnesses including Maggie Humphreys of MomsRising testified in support, noting that minor accommodations should be easy to request and not subject to bureaucratic barriers. Committee staff said a fiscal note was requested and not yet available. The committee heard testimony and moved on to the next item.
