SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6258
As Passed Senate, February 16, 2026
Title: An act relating to creating a nondisciplinary pathway for relinquishing licenses issued by the Washington medical commission.
Brief Description: Creating a nondisciplinary pathway for relinquishing licenses issued by the Washington medical commission.
Sponsors: Senators Muzzall, Nobles and Shewmake; by request of Washington State Medical Commission.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long-Term Care: 1/29/26, 1/30/26 [DP].
Floor Activity: Passed Senate: 2/16/26, 49-0.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Provides the Washington State Medical Commission (commission) rulemaking authority to create a non-disciplinary pathway for a voluntary relinquishment of licenses issued by the commission.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Cleveland, Chair; Orwall, Vice Chair; Slatter, Vice Chair; Muzzall, Ranking Member; Bateman, Chapman, Christian, Harris, Holy, Riccelli and Robinson.
Staff: Julie Tran (786-7283)
Background:

The Washington State Medical Commission (commission) regulates the competency and quality of professional health care providers under the commission's jurisdiction. The commission establishes, monitors, and enforces qualifications for licensure, consistent practice standards, continuing competency, and discipline.

 

The commission issues licenses for physicians (MD), physician assistants (PA), certified anesthesiologist assistants (CAA), and offers limited licenses for international medical graduates. They are responsible for licensing and disciplining these specific providers to ensure compliance with state standards. The commission currently regulates about 34,000 licenses.
Summary of Bill:

The commission is authorized to conduct rulemaking for all licenses issued by the commission to allow for the voluntary relinquishment of the license. This includes licenses for MDs, PAs, and CAAs as well as licenses issued under the interstate medical licensure compact and the physician assistant licensure compact.

 

Under these relinquishment rules, the license cannot be relinquished in lieu of discipline or if the licensee is subject to discipline or under investigation by the commission. The relinquishment is not an adverse action and as such is not reportable to any disciplinary database, the national practitioner data bank, or other websites.

 

Licensees who request this relinquishment process agree to the permanent relinquishment of the property right and shall have no right to reinstatement or renewal.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO: Currently, the only mechanism to step away from practice is to surrender the medical license and it is still a quasi-disciplinary agreement even when the circumstances are unrelated to misconduct. A medical license is considered a constitutional property right in Washington State, which means it does not disappear when it expires. Even after the license's expiration, the commission remains responsible for the licensee and an individual can reactivate it at any time with no input from the commission. This bill takes a more human-centered approach to license relinquishment while maintaining patient safety. This bill provides a graceful way for physicians who are aging, have become medically disabled, or those with a variety of other health conditions resulting in a need to leave the practice and end their career.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Ron Muzzall, Prime Sponsor; Fatima Mirza, Washington Medical Commission; Chris Bundy, MD, Washington Physicians Health Program.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.