Committee backs substitute for House Bill 2,200 to shift JLARC review and require annual DSHS safety reports

The Early Learning & Human Services Committee on Thursday voted to report substitute House Bill 2,200 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation after adopting a technical amendment.

Representative Penner, who sponsored the substitute, said the bill "directs JLARC to conduct a 4 year review, 23 to 26 of safety outcomes in the developmental disability placement settings" and to provide a recommended methodology for ongoing data collection. The substitute removes the proposed public-facing IT dashboard and instead requires DSHS to publish a simple, downloadable annual safety report beginning Sept. 1, 2028.

Penner said the change "does a great job in changing the word dashboard into a report," calling the adjustment largely technical and intended to reduce the fiscal impacts associated with an IT-driven dashboard while still producing usable data for families and stakeholders. He described the report as a way for "families and stakeholders" to make "apples-to-apples comparison of significant events in these settings, 911 calls, emergency room boarding, and failed placements."

Representative Ortiz Self urged support to allow the committee to "see what we can collect and what we can work with." Representative Taylor said she would "vote without recommendation," voicing concerns about how publicly available data might stigmatize providers who serve high-need clients and potentially drive providers out of the market. Taylor said she supports public information in principle but wants assurances that data will not unfairly penalize providers.

The committee adopted a technical amendment (Harrow 7 99) to remove a leftover reference to a dashboard and to align the substitute with its intended language. The roll-call vote on the final recommendation returned nine ayes and two nays; the chair announced the substitute was reported out with a due-pass recommendation.

Next steps: With the committee's due-pass recommendation, House Bill 2,200 will move toward floor consideration under the legislature's process; the substitute schedules JLARC review and requires DSHS to prepare an annual safety report starting in 2028.