Bill > HB1262

This bill updates the governor's interagency coordinating council on health disparities by renaming it the "governor's council for health justice and equity" and expanding its scope and membership. The council will now consist of 24 members representing various state agencies, commissions, and demographic groups, including representatives from commissions for African American, Asian Pacific American, Hispanic, and LGBTQ affairs, as well as six public members with direct lived experience of health inequities. The council's primary responsibilities will now include creating a statewide vision and universal goals for health and well-being, recognizing racism as a public health crisis, and developing policy recommendations to advance health justice and equity. The bill emphasizes community engagement, intersectionality, and addressing structural barriers to health, requiring the council to submit reports to the governor and legislature every two years detailing progress, policy recommendations, and efforts to reduce health disparities. The council will collaborate with other state agencies and use tools like health impact reviews and disaggregated data to inform its work, with a focus on promoting communication, coordination, and meaningful participation from communities most impacted by health inequities.

Health and Social Services

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1262&Year=2025&Initiative=false