Notice of Committee Passage for Senate Bill 5337 - 10 Year Analysis Complete

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SB 5337, titled AN ACT Relating to improving dementia care in Washington by creating a certification for memory care services, has been passed by the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. The Office of Financial Management has identified this bill as requiring a ten-year projection of increased cost to the taxpayers or affected fee payers.

Ten-year projection:

Fiscal Year		Memory Care Certification Annual Fee, Inspections & Complaints	Memory Care Certification Initial Application Fee	Total
2026		$176,000	$86,000	$262,000
2027		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2028		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2029		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2030		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2031		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2032		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2033		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2034		$176,000	$0	$176,000
2035		$176,000	$0	$176,000
Total:		$1,760,000	$86,000	$1,846,000

Dept of Social and Health Services:

Section 2 of this bill requires assisted living facilities that use the term memory care in their advertising to obtain a certification from the department and pay any fee as determined by rule to demonstrate they meet the certification requirements. This estimate assumes 260 facilities apply for certification in FY26 based on current memory care facilities and units. It is unknown how many facilities may apply in subsequent years, so cash receipts for the initial application fee are indeterminate for FY27 and beyond. Cash receipts will vary based on actual memory care certification applications.

The proposed certification fees will offset staff investigation time. For the initial application fee, the department assumes it will take six hours of staff time to process. With a Program Specialist 3 at an hourly rate of $55.21, the initial application fee would be $331. With an estimated 260 facilities applying for memory care certification, this would result in $86,000 in cash receipts in FY26.

For the annual certification fee, the department assumes it will take seven hours of work for inspection and complaints tasks. This work will be completed by Long-Term Care Surveyor and Nursing Consultant Institutional staff, who have a blended hourly rate of $96.61. This results in an annual fee of $676. Based on an estimated 260 facilities paying the $676 annual fee, the cash receipts per year would be $176,000.

Ten-year projection prepared in consultation with the following agencies:

Dept of Social and Health Services

The following legislators voted do pass:

Senator Mark Schoesler
Republican
(360) 786-7620
mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov

Senator Steve Conway
Democrat
(360) 786-7656
steve.conway@leg.wa.gov

Senator Bob Hasegawa
Democrat
(360) 786-7616
bob.hasegawa@leg.wa.gov

Senator Jamie Pedersen
Democrat
(360) 786-7628
jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov

Senator Claudia Kauffman
Democrat
(360) 786-7692
claudia.kauffman@leg.wa.gov

Senator Judy Warnick
Republican
(360) 786-7624
judith.warnick@leg.wa.gov

Senator Marcus Riccelli
Democrat
(360) 786-7604
marcus.riccelli@leg.wa.gov

Senator Derek Stanford
Democrat
(360) 786-7600
derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov

Senator Drew Hansen
Democrat
(360) 786-7644
drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov

Senator John Braun
Republican
(360) 786-7638
john.braun@leg.wa.gov

Senator Annette Cleveland
Democrat
(360) 786-7696
annette.cleveland@leg.wa.gov

Senator June Robinson
Democrat
(360) 786-7674
june.robinson@leg.wa.gov

Senator Yasmin Trudeau
Democrat
(360) 786-7652
yasmin.trudeau@leg.wa.gov

Senator Noel Frame
Democrat
(360) 786-7670
noel.frame@leg.wa.gov

Senator Lisa Wellman
Democrat
(360) 786-7641
lisa.wellman@leg.wa.gov

Senator Rebecca Saldaña
Democrat
(360) 786-7688
rebecca.saldana@leg.wa.gov

Senator Manka Dhingra
Democrat
(360) 786-7672
manka.dhingra@leg.wa.gov

Senator Keith Wagoner
Republican
(360) 786-7676
keith.wagoner@leg.wa.gov

Senator Claire Wilson
Democrat
(360) 786-7658
claire.wilson@leg.wa.gov

Senator Matt Boehnke
Republican
(360) 786-7614
matt.boehnke@leg.wa.gov

Senator Chris Gildon
Republican
(360) 786-7648
chris.gildon@leg.wa.gov

Senator Ron Muzzall
Republican
(360) 786-7618
ron.muzzall@leg.wa.gov

Senator Perry Dozier
Republican
(360) 786-7630
Perry.Dozier@leg.wa.gov

Senator Nikki Torres
Republican
(360) 786-7684
Nikki.Torres@leg.wa.gov



Legislative Bill Information Website: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/

Initiative 960 Website: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/tax/default.asp