Introduced by Sen. Mike Carrell (Lakewood) (R) on January 13, 2004
To release some patient records for the purpose of restoring state mental health hospital cemeteries. In order to properly mark the resting place of mental patients the bill allows the state to release records relating to identifying the buried individuals. See also Companion SB 6678. Official Text and Analysis.
Referred to the House Health Care Committee on January 13, 2004
Testimony in support offered to the House Health Care Committee on January 22, 2004
By Rep, Carrell, prime sponsor; Rep. Talcott, secondary sponsor; Sherry Storms, Mental Health Ombudsman; Stacie Larson,NAMI Thurston/Mason; and Laurel Lemke, Grave Concerns Association who testified that this bill presents a way by which the state may honor citizens who have
been buried in unmarked graves for more than 50 years at state hospitals at no cost to the
state. Volunteer groups have been working to restore the hospital cemeteries for several
years, but their work cannot be completed without the passage of this legislation. This
legislation is necessary to restore the dignity and personhood of people who suffered from
mental illness. These people deserve to have their names remembered.
Referred to the House Rules Committee on January 23, 2004