FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5403

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.

C 80 L 19

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning safe egress from adult family homes.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey, Darneille, Conway, Rivers, Keiser and Kuderer; by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care

House Committee on Health Care & Wellness

Background: An adult family home is a residential home that provides personal care, specialty care, necessary supervision, laundry, and room and board for up to six adults who need long-term care. Adult family homes are licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Adult family homes must ensure that all residents can be safely evacuated in an emergency and must develop a fire drill plan for emergency evacuation of residents. The home must be able to evacuate all residents from the home to a safe location in five minutes or less, and nonambulatory residents are not allowed to live above the first floor of the home.

Summary: Nonambulatory adult family home residents must have a bedroom on a floor of the adult family home from which the resident can be evacuated to a designated safe location outside the home without the use of stairs, elevators, chairlifts, platform lifts, or other devices determined by DSHS in rule. Adult family homes must ensure that all residents can be safely evacuated from the home in an emergency as established by DSHS in rule. The rules established by DSHS must be developed in consultation with the largest organization representing fire chiefs in the state of Washington.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate

47

0

House

92

0

Effective:

July 28, 2019