Passed by the Senate April 19, 2019 Yeas 47 Nays 0 President of the Senate Passed by the House April 9, 2019 Yeas 96 Nays 0 Speaker of the House of Representatives	CERTIFICATE I, Brad Hendrickson, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5212 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. Secretary Secretary
Approved	FILED
	Secretary of State State of Washington

BySenate Higher Education & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Palumbo, Wilson, L., Rolfes, Mullet, Wilson, C., Hunt, and Kuderer)

AN ACT Relating to adoption of dogs and cats used for science or research purposes; adding a new section to chapter 18.92 RCW; and creating a new section.

(1) A higher education facility that receives public money, including tax exempt status, or a facility that provides research in collaboration with a higher education facility, that utilizes dogs or cats for scientific, educational, or research purposes, upon conclusion of a dog or cat's use for scientific, educational, or research purposes shall:

(a) Have the facility's attending veterinarian or designee assess the health of the dog or cat and determine if the dog or cat is suitable for adoption, consistent with guidelines promulgated by the American veterinary medical association; and

(b) Make reasonable efforts to offer the dog or cat for adoption, when the dog or cat is deemed suitable for adoption, through the facility's own adoption program or through an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group as defined in RCW 82.04.040. A facility that offers dogs or cats for adoption to an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group under this section may enter into an agreement to facilitate adoptions.

(a) Create a duty upon an animal care and control agency or an animal rescue group to accept a dog or cat offered for adoption by a research facility; or

(b) Prohibit a facility from completing scientific research or educational use prior to making a suitability for adoption determination.

(3) A research facility that provides a dog or cat for adoption pursuant to this section is immune from any civil liability for acts or omissions relating to the adoption of a dog or cat pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, other than acts constituting willful or wanton misconduct.