HB 1664
In CommitteeHouse
Long-term care ombud funding
Providing sufficient funding for the Washington state long-term care ombuds program.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
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 requires Washington State to develop and submit annual funding recommendations for the Long-Term Care Ombuds Program to ensure it has enough resources to protect residents’ rights. It sets a target staffing level of one ombuds per 2,000 residents and requires adjustments for facility growth, inflation, and administrative needs.
- Requires the Long-Term Care Ombuds Program, in partnership with the Department of Commerce and consulting with the Office of Financial Management, to develop annual funding recommendations by September 1 (starting in 2025).
- Funding recommendations must ensure staffing at the ratio of one full-time ombuds for every 2,000 residents, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine.
- Must account for projected growth in licensed long-term care beds (per the Caseload Forecast Council) and inflation (based on the Consumer Price Index).
- Must include funding for administrative needs of the Department of Commerce.
- Requires the Department of Commerce to submit the annual funding recommendation to the Office of Financial Management and legislative fiscal committees for budget consideration.
Who is affected
- Residents of licensed long-term care facilities — Residents of licensed long-term care facilities (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living) who rely on the ombuds program to help resolve complaints and protect their rights as vulnerable adults.
- Long-term care ombuds staff and program leadership — Staff and leadership of the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombuds Program, who would receive increased funding to meet staffing and operational needs.
- State agencies and legislative fiscal committees — State agencies involved in budget planning and oversight—including the Department of Commerce, Office of Financial Management, and legislative fiscal committees—who must review and act on funding recommendations.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for concerns
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill mandates a staffing ratio of one ombuds per 2,000 residents, which would significantly improve oversight and responsiveness to abuse, neglect, and exploitation in long-term care facilities — directly enhancing the safety and well-being of vulnerable adults.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(a)By ensuring adequate staffing to meet the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation, the bill strengthens enforcement of residents’ statutory rights under chapter 70.129 RCW, including dignity, autonomy, and protection from abuse — rights currently under-enforced due to chronic underfunding.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(a), Sec. 2(1)(b)Indexing funding to inflation helps maintain real-world capacity to serve residents as care costs rise, preventing erosion of service quality over time — especially important for elderly and disabled residents who rely on consistent ombuds support.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(c)Explicit inclusion of administrative funding for the Department of Commerce ensures program sustainability and reduces administrative friction — though this is a cost to the state budget, it improves operational efficiency of a critical oversight function.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(d)Linking staffing to projected growth in licensed beds ensures the program scales with demand — preventing future backlogs in complaint resolution as Washington’s aging population grows.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(b)
Who Is Most Affected
Residents of long-term care facilities — especially those with cognitive impairments, physical disabilities, or limited family support — will benefit most. They are currently underserved; ombuds help resolve complaints about care quality, medication errors, and abuse. Improved staffing means faster, more thorough investigations and advocacy.
Ombuds staff will benefit from reduced caseloads and improved ability to fulfill their mandate. Current ombuds often manage 300+ residents each — far exceeding the recommended 2,000:1 ratio — leading to burnout and delayed interventions. This bill would allow hiring to meet national best practices.
State agencies (Commerce, OFM) gain a clearer, legally mandated budgeting process with built-in inflation and growth adjustments — reducing discretionary uncertainty. Legislative fiscal committees benefit from standardized, data-driven funding requests.
Long-term care facilities may face more frequent ombuds visits and complaint investigations, potentially increasing compliance burdens — but this also incentivizes better internal oversight to avoid formal complaints. Net effect is likely neutral-to-slightly-negative due to added administrative costs.
Families of residents benefit indirectly through increased confidence in oversight and faster resolution of concerns — but they do not directly fund or manage the program. This is a modest positive impact, concentrated among middle- and upper-income families with loved ones in care facilities.