CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5632

Chapter 263, Laws of 2024

68TH LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

LABOR DISPUTES—WORKER HEALTH PLAN ACCESS PROGRAM

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024

ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5632

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

BySenators Keiser, Cleveland, Conway, Hasegawa, Hunt, Kuderer, Lovelett, Stanford, Valdez, and C. Wilson

AN ACT Relating to protecting the health care of workers exercising their right to participate in a labor dispute; adding a new section to chapter 43.71 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.71 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By January 1, 2025, the exchange must establish a worker health plan access program to help Washingtonians who lose health care coverage provided by their employer or a joint labor management trust as a result of an active strike, lockout, or other labor dispute.

(2) Subject to the availability of funding, the exchange must provide enrollment assistance to help maintain coverage for individuals and their dependents who:

(a) Provide a self-attestation regarding loss of minimum essential health care coverage from an employer or joint labor management trust fund as a result of an active strike, lockout, or other labor dispute; and

(b) Are eligible for coverage offered through the exchange.

(3) The exchange may request, and an applicable employer, labor organization, or other appropriate representative, must provide, information to determine the status of a strike, lockout, or labor dispute, its impact to coverage, and any other information determined by the exchange as necessary to conduct outreach and determine eligibility for federal and state subsidies offered through the exchange.

(4) The exchange must establish a process for providing outreach and enrollment assistance, and may establish additional procedural requirements to administer the program established in subsection (1) of this section.

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