HB 1190
SignedHouse
UW health sciences library
Allowing additional health professions to access the University of Washington health sciences library.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill adds a $25 fee to the license renewal costs for 24 types of health professionals in Washington, with the money going to the University of Washington Health Sciences Library to support its operations and services. It also clarifies that the library can serve additional health professions beyond its current user base.
- Adds up to $25 to license fees for 24 categories of health professionals, including nurses, physicians, psychologists, massage therapists, and others listed in the bill.
- Requires the Washington State Department of Health to transfer the additional $25 fees to the University of Washington for use by the Health Sciences Library.
- Expands access to the UW Health Sciences Library to include additional health professions (though the bill text does not specify which ones beyond the fee provision).
- Maintains existing fee exemptions for retired physicians and municipal emergency medical services, and allows fee waivers at the secretary’s discretion for public interest or state financial benefit.
- Permits the Department of Health to set different fees for different types of nurses and to adjust fees to match actual licensing costs, with the $25 addition as a separate, capped charge.
Who is affected
- Licensed health care providers — Health professionals in Washington (e.g., nurses, physicians, psychologists, massage therapists, etc.) who must pay license fees; some may see an additional $25 fee added to their renewal cost.
- University of Washington — Receives $25 per license from certain health professionals to support the University of Washington Health Sciences Library.
- UW students, faculty, and health care staff — May benefit from expanded access to library resources and services, especially students, researchers, and clinicians in health-related fields.
- Washington State Department of Health — May see increased administrative costs if more health professionals apply for licenses due to expanded access to library resources.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (3)
Generates dedicated, stable funding for the UW Health Sciences Library, expanding access to evidence-based resources for students, researchers, and clinicians across the state—particularly beneficial for public universities, community colleges, and rural health workers who rely on centralized, high-quality information.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c) & RCW 43.70.112By supporting the Health Sciences Library, the bill strengthens the evidence infrastructure that underpins clinical decision-making, continuing education, and health equity initiatives—benefiting patients through improved quality and reduced medical errors.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c)Enhanced access to current medical literature and research tools may improve diagnostic accuracy and adherence to best practices—especially valuable for frontline providers in emergency departments, rural clinics, and behavioral health settings where misinformation or outdated protocols pose risks.
Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c)
Potential Concerns (4)
Imposes a $25 annual fee increase on 24 categories of licensed health professionals, effectively raising the cost of practicing in Washington—this disproportionately affects mid- and low-income providers (e.g., nurses, massage therapists, mental health counselors) who work in safety-net settings or are sole proprietors, and may deter new entrants into the workforce.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c)While the fee is capped at $25, the cumulative effect of multiple fee increases over time (e.g., if fees are adjusted annually to match licensing costs under Sec. 1(2)) may strain provider practices—especially small clinics and rural health facilities—potentially reducing access to care in underserved areas.
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c)The Department of Health must collect and transfer the additional fees to UW, adding administrative overhead with no explicit funding to offset the new task—this could divert有限 resources from core regulatory functions like inspections or complaint investigations.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(1)The fee applies to all providers in the listed categories regardless of practice size or income—though sole proprietors and small clinics are included, the $25 increase is regressive relative to revenue for high-volume providers, and may disincentivize new license applications, especially among marginalized groups (e.g., new immigrants, people of color) who face higher barriers to entry.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Mid- and low-income health professionals (e.g., RNs, LCSWs, massage therapists) will pay an additional $25/year—regressive relative to income, especially for those in solo practice or working in underfunded settings. May reduce workforce entry or retention, especially among marginalized groups.
UW will receive $25 per license for 24 professions, generating ~$1.2–$1.8M annually (assuming ~50,000–75,000 affected licenses). This supports library operations, digital collections, and training—strengthening its role as a public health information hub.
Students, faculty, and clinicians across WSU, UW, and community colleges will gain expanded access to evidence-based resources—particularly valuable for those in nursing, public health, and behavioral health programs where library access directly affects learning and clinical outcomes.
Rural clinics, community health centers, and safety-net providers may face budget pressure from the fee increase, especially if they serve high volumes of Medicaid or uninsured patients and operate on thin margins. However, improved access to research tools could offset some costs by improving efficiency.
Patients benefit indirectly through improved clinician access to current evidence, but may face reduced provider availability if the fee discourages new license applications—particularly in mental health, nursing, and allied health fields where shortages are acute.