Senate approves bill to create state health‑care board to prepare for universal coverage

The Washington State Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 5947 on Monday, a measure to create a Washington Health Care Board to help design and coordinate a universal health‑care program if certain federal or state triggers are met.

Sponsor Senator Karen Hasegawa (Remarks introduced at the floor) told colleagues the bill “incorporates the work of a lot of different stakeholder groups” and is a next step following a joint memorial that asked the federal government to either create a national plan, enable states to form plans or grant waivers that would allow states to proceed. Hasegawa said the bill is deliberately draft‑triggered: it “doesn’t come into effect until it’s actually triggered,” but would then direct the new health‑care board, with input from the Universal Health Care Commission, to design coverage for Washingtonians.

The measure drew floor debate. Senator Mazal said she opposed the approach and warned of fiscal consequences, saying, “Wewould have to double our state budget to accomplish that,” and announcing she would vote no. Supporters framed the bill as a preparatory, deliberative step: Senator Chapman described universal coverage as “a moral imperative” and said access to care can prevent medical bankruptcy.

An amendment (No. 0558) to incorporate the Universal Health Care Commission’s expertise was adopted on the floor before the final vote. The Senate recorded 30 ayes and 19 nays on final passage; the presiding officer declared a constitutional majority and the bill passed. The bill’s language makes clear the board’s activities are contingent on a future trigger and that the board’s authority would apply only if those conditions are met.

The measure amends chapter 41.05 RCW by adding sections to establish a health‑care board; the transcript references prior work (Senate Joint Memorial 8004) as the precursor context. The bill now moves to the enrollment/engrossing process and onward to the next steps required for it to become law under Washington’s legislative process.

Next steps: The title of the bill will be the title of the act and the enrolled bill will proceed to the usual concurrence/engrossing and transmission steps toward the governor.