Department of Health Public Listening Sessions – Legislative Concepts for the 2027 Legislative Session
The Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) Division at the Department of Health (department) invites you to participate in the upcoming online public listening sessions in July 2026 regarding legislative concepts HSQA is considering for the 2027 legislative session.
What are Legislative Concepts?
Each year, state agencies consider making requests to the governor’s office and legislature for statutory changes or budget consideration. As part of that effort, HSQA will host two online public listening sessions to share preliminary legislative concepts and gather feedback from interested parties. Department staff will provide an overview of our concepts, gather your feedback, and provide some high-level next steps. Please note, these are preliminary conversations, and concepts may change or the department may choose not to move forward with a concept. HSQA wants to be transparent about what we are considering, but also needs to be clear that discussing a topic does not guarantee any specific action.
What Legislative Concepts are HSQA presenting to the public?
HSQA is presenting the following four legislative concepts for the 2027 legislative Session:
1) Adverse Events
Problem Statement
The Adverse Events (AE) program at the department was established in 2006, but was never fully funded. The intent of the AE program was to implement a system to facilitate quality improvement in the health care system, improve patient safety, assist the public in making informed care choices, and decrease medical errors. A recent review by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) concluded that the department did not review or analyze AE reports, limiting its ability to fully support legislative intent. With no funding to support basic program operations, AE report review, or analysis, the department is unable to operationalize the AE program and build the infrastructure to support this crucial work in improving patient safety.
Concept
The department is considering a request to provide the necessary resources to support program operations, streamlining, and legislative intent. Current considerations include statutory change to update the AE statute and incorporate the JLARC recommendations and exploring funding options to sustain the program.
2) Hospital Financial Data Reporting
Problem Statement
Hospitals send financial data to the department’s Hospital Charity Care and Financial Reporting Program in eight reports. The work on three of these reports is funded through the charity care assessment. The department used to receive a small amount of GF-S to support data collection requirements outside of charity care reporting, however in the 2026 session the legislature eliminated the GF-S resources used for processing these five hospital financial reports. Currently, the department has discontinued processing these reports due to lack of resources though hospitals are still obligated by law to submit those reports.
Furthermore, in its July 2025 Oversight of Hospital Data Reporting, Inspections, and Complaints Final Report, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) recommended the department adopt best practices for data analysis and public accessibility for hospital financial reports, such as interactive datasets on public dashboards. This would ensure that people can easily find content and the information is relevant, user-friendly, and easily comparable. In addition, Section 225(36) of the 2026 supplemental operating budget directed the department to take action on the recommendations made by JLARC.
Concept
The department is exploring funding options to fulfill the department’s hospital financial data work for all eight reports as required by statute and recommended by JLARC.
3) Health Profession Credentialing Staffing
Problem Statement
The Office of Health Professions (OHP) has had an increase in the number of regulated professions without a corresponding increase in permanent positions to staff these professions. This has led to increases in credentialing timelines due to insufficient permanent staffing numbers to process applications in a timely manner. Work to address and improve credentialing timelines began in FY 2024 through a supplemental budget proviso that provided additional temporary credentialing positions. With these additional positions, the department focused on professions with significant backlogs and reduced credentialing timelines.
Without additional spending authority to maintain these credentialing positions, OHP will lose 26 positions and be unable to maintain the current progress in reducing health profession credentialing timelines.
Concept
The department is considering requesting increased spending authority from the health professions account (O2G) to convert 26 temporary credentialing positions to permanent credentialing positions to maintain and continue improvements the department is making to credentialing processing timelines.
4) Certified Peer Support Specialist Fee Cap
Problem Statement
In 2023, 2SSB 5555 capped Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) fees at $100 until 2030. Currently, this fee cap does not cover the costs of regulating this profession. State law (RCW 43.70.250) requires that all health professions must be self-sustained through fees.
Concept
The department is considering requesting statutory changes to remove the fee cap for this profession.
Online Public Listening Sessions
HSQA will host two online public meetings on July 8th, and July 9th. During these meetings, HSQA will present the proposals to the public and gather verbal and written feedback.
Note: We are hosting two online public listening sessions, but we are presenting four preliminary legislative concepts. You are welcome to participate in one or both of these listening sessions. However, please note that each session uses a different link and requires separate registration. The information and materials shared by the department will vary for each session depending on the topic of that specific listening session.
Dates for the Online Public Listening Sessions
1) Adverse Events and Hospital Financial Data Reporting:
Wednesday, July 8, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Register here
2) Health Profession Credentialing Staffing and Certified Peer Support Specialist Fee Cap:
Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Register here
Language Access and Accommodations
Spanish interpretation, American Sign Language (ASL), and live captioning (CART) will be available during the public listening session meetings. If you need an accommodation or additional language services, please contact us as soon as possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, though timelines may limit availability.
Submitting Written Comments
Written comments may be submitted by July 30, 2026, to Cori.Tarzwell@DOH.WA.GOV
