H-3040.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2271

ByHouse Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Chambers, Springer, Abbarno, Walen, Jacobsen, Riccelli, Santos, Macri, and Walsh)

AN ACT Relating to promoting access to information regarding the long-term services and supports trust program; and adding a new section to chapter 50B.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 50B.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of social and health services shall develop a secure internet portal through which individuals may access the program summary statement described in subsection (2) of this section. The department of social and health services and the employment security department shall work collaboratively to identify data needs required to create the statement described in subsection (2) of this section. The employment security department shall provide agreed upon data to the department of social and health services to populate the statement in the secure internet portal. When developing the secure internet portal, the department of social and health services may use or modify existing systems, such as the benefits application management system developed by the department of social and health services. The secure internet portal must be operational no later than January 1, 2026.

(2) Beginning April 1, 2026, and by April 1st each year thereafter, the department of social and health services and the employment security department shall, through the secure internet portal developed under subsection (1) of this section, make a program summary statement available to each employee that has been assessed a premium by the program under RCW 50B.04.080. The program summary statement shall provide the employee with individualized information explaining:

(a) The number of hours that the employee was reported to have worked in the previous calendar year;

(b) Whether the employee worked the minimum number of hours required under RCW 50B.04.050(3);

(c) The number of years that the employee has been recorded to have worked the minimum number of hours required under RCW 50B.04.050(3);

(d) The projected benefit level for the employee at age 75; and

(e) Program information, including information related to becoming a qualified individual, information related to becoming an eligible beneficiary, information about the assessment process, current assessment and benefit unit levels, information regarding verifying one's program information and correcting any errors, and any other relevant program updates.

(3) The statements available through the secure internet portal in 2026 must include information on calendar years 2023 and 2024.

(4) The employment security department and the department of social and health services shall maintain information on their websites on how an employee may access the employee's program summary statement through the secure internet portal.

--- END ---