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

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E2SSB 5337, titled AN ACT Relating to improving dementia care in Washington by creating a certification for memory care services, has been passed by the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness. 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:

Representative Joe Schmick
Republican
(360) 786-7844
joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov

Representative Steve Tharinger
Democrat
(360) 786-7904
steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov

Representative Monica Jurado Stonier
Democrat
(360) 786-7872
monica.stonier@leg.wa.gov

Representative Michelle Caldier
Republican
(360) 786-7802
michelle.caldier@leg.wa.gov

Representative Nicole Macri
Democrat
(360) 786-7826
nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov

Representative Lauren Davis
Democrat
(360) 786-7910
lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov

Representative Debra Lekanoff
Democrat
(360) 786-7800
debra.lekanoff@leg.wa.gov

Representative My-Linh Thai
Democrat
(360) 786-7926
my-linh.thai@leg.wa.gov

Representative Tarra Simmons
Democrat
(360) 786-7934
Tarra.Simmons@leg.wa.gov

Representative Dan Bronoske
Democrat
(360) 786-7958
Dan.Bronoske@leg.wa.gov

Representative Alicia Rule
Democrat
(360) 786-7980
Alicia.Rule@leg.wa.gov

Representative Sam Low
Republican
(360) 786-7967
Sam.Low@leg.wa.gov

Representative Clyde Shavers
Democrat
(360) 786-7884
Clyde.Shavers@leg.wa.gov

Representative Andrew Engell
Republican
(360) 786-7908
Andrew.Engell@leg.wa.gov

Representative Deb Manjarrez
Republican
(360) 786-7856
Deb.Manjarrez@leg.wa.gov

Representative Matt Marshall
Republican
(360) 786-7912
Matt.Marshall@leg.wa.gov

Representative Lisa Parshley
Democrat
(360) 786-7992
Lisa.Parshley@leg.wa.gov

Representative David Stuebe
Republican
(360) 786-7976
David.Stuebe@leg.wa.gov

Representative Edwin Obras
Democrat
(360) 786-7834
Edwin.Obras@leg.wa.gov



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

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