Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-928 WAC, Respiratory care practitioners, the department of health (department) is considering rules to implement and align with recently passed legislation. SHB 1383 (chapter 114, Laws of 2021) makes several amendments to the respiratory care practitioner profession, including changing the profession's scope of practice and required qualifications and giving the department authority to create regulations on training requirements and hospital protocols for particular medical procedures. The department will also consider updates and housekeeping changes to clarify and streamline chapter 246-928 WAC.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Recent legislation has resulted in a conflict between RCW and WAC regarding respiratory care practitioners. Rule making is necessary to align chapter 246-928 WAC with recent statutory amendments and to implement additional requirements established by SHB 1383.

SHB 1383 makes several changes to the respiratory care practitioner profession, including: (1) Expanding the scope of practice for the profession, (2) changing education requirements, (3) requiring the department to develop regulations on training and hospital protocols for specific procedures, (4) changing examination requirements, and (5) other changes. As part of this rule making, the department will also consider updates and housekeeping changes to clarify and streamline chapter 246-928 WAC.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Ted Dale, Office of Health Professions, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-785[7852], phone 360-236-2991, TTY 711, email ted.dale@doh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: Rule-making notices will be delivered via GovDelivery to various health professions lists. Notices for this rule making will be the same regardless of the GovDelivery it is sent to. To receive notices, interested persons may sign up for any or all of the lists. Please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. After signing in, please click open the box labeled "Health Systems Quality Assurance." Next click open the box labeled "Health Professions." From there, you may check the box next to one or more of the professions listed.