Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Health Care & Wellness Committee

HB 2056

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Concerning assisted living facilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Van De Wege, Bailey, Cody, Johnson and Warnick.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Changes the name of boarding homes to "assisted living facilities."

Hearing Date: 1/9/12

Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).

Background:

Washington began licensing boarding homes in 1958. The Department of Social and Health Services licenses and conducts inspections, investigations of complaints, and enforcement actions related to boarding homes.

Boarding homes are facilities that provide housing and basic services to seven or more residents. Residents of boarding homes are people who live in a boarding home for reasons of age or disability and receive services provided by the boarding home. Services provided to residents by boarding homes include housekeeping, meals, snacks, laundry, and activities. They may also provide domiciliary care including assistance with activities of daily living, health support services, and intermittent nursing services. Intermittent nursing services include: medication administration, administration of health care treatments, diabetic management, nonroutine ostomy care, tube feeding, and delegated nursing tasks.

Nonresident individuals may also live in a boarding home and receive specified services, but they may not receive domiciliary care from the boarding home. Some of the services that nonresident individuals may receive upon request include:

Summary of Bill:

The term "boarding home" is changed to "assisted living facility" throughout the boarding home licensing statute and elsewhere in the Revised Code of Washington.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 4, 2012.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.