House, Senate Pass Bill Addressing Medical Informed Consent for Homeless Youth

Concerning: Concerning an unaccompanied homeless youth’s ability to provide informed consent for that minor patient’s own health care, including non-emergency, outpatient, and primary care services, including physical examinations, vision examinations, and eyeglasses, dental examinations, hearing examinations and hearing aids, immunizations, treatments for illnesses and conditions, and routine follow-up care customarily provided by a health care provider in an outpatient setting, excluding elective surgeries. Substitute Senate Bill (pdf)
Sponsors: Trudeau, Keiser, Billig, Conway, Hunt, Kuderer, Nguyen, Nobles, Robinson, Saldaña, Van De Wege, Wilson, C. 
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Committee Materials

Original Bill
Substitute Bill
Senate Bill Report (Orig.)
Senate Bill Report (Orig.)
Senate Bill Report
Substitute House Bill Analysis 2022
Substitute House Bill Report
Substitute Senate Bill Report

The bill analysis and bill report are prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

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Brief Summary of Bill

Senate Bill Report Brief Summary

• Permits an unaccompanied homeless minor to provide informed consent for non-emergency, outpatient, primary health care services.
• Allows, but does not require, a health care provider to request documentation signed under penalty of perjury, that a patient is an unaccompanied homeless minor.
• Permits a health care provider to rely on the representations or declaration if the health care provider does not have actual notice of the falsity of the statements.
• Provides immunity in any action, civil or criminal, or other disciplinary action when reliance is based on a declaration signed under penalty of perjury.

House Bill Report Brief Summary

• Allows an unaccompanied homeless youth (not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) who is under the age of majority, who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, and is unable to obtain informed consent through a school nurse, school counselor, or homeless student liaison, to provide informed consent for non-emergency, outpatient, primary care services.

Amendments Adopted

Amendment Name	Num	Sponsor	Type	Description	Action
5883-S AMH MOSB WICM 544	1332	Mosbrucker	Floor	Pg 7 Ln 22	ADOPTED 03/03/2022

 

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Unless otherwise noted, the above information was obtained from the official Washington State Legislative website. Future meetings are subject to change. Auburn representatives in bold.