The Uniform Disciplinary Act (UDA) establishes the framework for the regulation and oversight of health care providers by the relevant disciplining authorities for each health care profession. Under the UDA, disciplining authorities have the authority to investigate all complaints or reports of unprofessional conduct, defined under the UDA. Upon a finding, or after a hearing, that determines a license holder has committed unprofessional conduct, the disciplining authority is required to issue an order including appropriate sanctions.

Disciplining authorities may deny an application for licensure or grant a licensure with conditions under certain circumstances, including if the applicant has had their license to practice any health care profession suspended, revoked, or restricted in any jurisdiction, or if the applicant has committed an act defined as unprofessional conduct under the UDA. Among other acts and conditions, unprofessional conduct is defined under the UDA to include:

• suspension, revocation, or restriction of an individual's license to practice any health care profession in any jurisdiction;
• violation of any state or federal statute or administrative rule regulating the profession in question;
• violations of rules established by any health agency;
• practice beyond the scope of practice defined by law or rule; the conviction of any gross misdemeanor or felony relating to the practice of the person's profession; and
• procuring, or aiding or abetting in procuring, a criminal abortion.

The following does not constitute unprofessional conduct under the UDA, and cannot serve as the basis for a denial of an application for licensure, licensure renewal, or temporary practice permit, or for any other disciplinary action by a disciplining authority against an applicant or license holder, unless required by the interstate medical licensure compact:

• the provision of, authorization of, recommendation of, aiding in, assistance in, referral for, or other participation in any reproductive health care services or gender affirming treatment, by a license holder, if the participation would have been lawful and consistent with standards of care if it occurred entirely in Washington; and
• a conviction or disciplinary action based on the license holder's violation of another state's laws prohibiting the provision of, authorization of, recommendation of, aiding in, assistance in, referral for, or other participation in any reproductive health care services or gender affirming treatment, if the participation would have been lawful and consistent with standards of care if it occurred entirely in Washington.

The definition of unprofessional conduct under the UDA is amended to exclude procuring, or aiding or abetting in procuring, a criminal abortion.

Nothing in the act shall be construed to expand the scope of practice of any license holder, nor does the act give any license holder the authority to act outside their scope of practice.