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• Introduced by Sen. Jim Kastama, (D-Puyallup) (D) on January 24, 2008, defines and regulates the admission, transfer, and discharge of persons residing in long-term care facilities .
  • Referred to the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee on January 24, 2008.
    • Substitute offered in the Senate on February 12, 2008, to exclude residents in long-term care facilities who are not yet Medicaid eligible when the facility voluntarily withdraws from Medicaid from the discharge and transfer protections in the bill. All references to hospital discharge and re-entry to the facility in the original bill were deleted. An emergency clause was added .
    • The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 15, 2008.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 12, 2008.
• Passed in the Senate (48 to 1) on February 15, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on February 19, 2008.
  • Referred to the House Health Care and Wellness Committee on February 19, 2008.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 29, 2008.
    • Amendment offered by Rep. Dawn Morrell, (D-Puyallup) (D) on March 5, 2008, to extend Medicaid protection against discharge when a boarding home withdraws from Medicaid to residents who have been paying privately for two years and become Medicaid eligible with six months of the boarding home's withdrawal from Medicaid. A boarding home that withdraws from Medicaid must provide DSHS and the residents sixty days advance notice of its intent to withdraw. Boarding homes participating in the Medicaid program must provide notice that the facility can withdraw from Medicaid at any time. All long-term care facilities will fully disclose in writing to residents and potential residents or their legal representative the facility policy on accepting Medicaid as a payment source. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 5, 2008.
• Passed in the House (96 to 0) on March 5, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on March 11, 2008. Passed in the Senate (46 to 2) on March 11, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed with partial veto by Gov. Christine Gregoire on March 28, 2008.