State Board of Health approves 2026 State Health Report and directs staff to submit it to governor and legislature

The Washington State Board of Health voted to approve the 2026 State Health Report and directed staff to finalize and send the document to the governor and legislature by July 1, 2026. Member Mindy Flores moved the measure, asking that staff incorporate feedback from today’s discussion and any comments from the Office of Financial Management and the governor’s office; the motion was seconded and carried by the board.

Board members said the report’s two focus areas — system capacity and infrastructure, and environmental and climate resilience — are intended as guiding priorities rather than prescriptive mandates, and that the document should be paired with audience‑specific outreach materials. “The report should be valuable and useful to partners across the public health system and serve as a practical tool for decision making,” health policy adviser Molly Donardo told the board during the briefing. Members asked staff to prepare shorter, tailored executive summaries and talking points for legislators, local public health partners, and community audiences to make the document more usable in advocacy and local planning.

The board also requested follow‑up on a related communications plan and a one‑page update on progress from the 2024 state health report. Staff said a condensed one‑pager summarizing 2024 outcomes is already in development and will be circulated. The board’s action requires staff to submit the finalized 2026 report to the governor, legislature, and relevant state agencies and return the file for board consideration only if the governor’s office or OFM requests substantive revisions.