Legislator
State Senator
Phil Fortunato
(R) - Washington
Washington Senate District 31
In Office
contact info
Capitol Office
Irv Newhouse Building
P.O. Box 40431
Olympia, WA 98504
P.O. Box 40431
Olympia, WA 98504
Phone: 360-786-7660
Phone 2: 800-562-6000
Vote Record By Category
| Category | Vote Index | Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccines | 81 |
56
|
| Parental Rights | 85 |
43
|
| Emergency Powers | 45 |
15
|
| Other | 56 |
6
|
| All Bills | 70 |
95
|
Rated Bill Votes
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Rating | Vote | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB1052 | Clarifying a hate crime offense. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 04/03/2025 | -3 | Nay |
Engrossed version. Adds "in whole or in substantial part" to the definition of hate crime, referring to the perpetrator's perception of the victim's race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, or disability, etc. when the accused assaults, damages property, or threatens to do so. This will result in the lowering of the threshold for a guilty verdict and subjecting the accused's life history (statements, social media posts, etc.) to scrutiny and potential distortion.
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| HB1152 | Supporting measures to create comprehensive public health districts. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 04/11/2021 | -3 | Nay |
Filed at request of governor. Ends local public health districts in order to regionalize and centralize them (by 1.1.23) in response to "inequities and shortcomings made apparent in CV pandemic." Companion to SB5173.
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| HB1225 | Concerning school-based health centers. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 04/07/2021 | -5 | Nay |
Establishes school-based health centers under DOH, with funding, monitoring, partnering with NGOs.
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| HB1251 | Concerning water systems' notice to customers of public health considerations. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 04/10/2023 | -3 | Yea |
Requires public water systems that intend to discontinue fluoridation notify DOH and receive DOH's info re public health impacts of fluoride, as well as provide this info to its customers 90 days before a vote regarding the discontinuation. Companion to SB5215.
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| HB1296 | Eroding I-2081 | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 04/11/2025 | -3 | Nay |
The bill was amended several times. It strips many of the parental rights enacted via I-2081.
|
| HB1392 | Expanding SBHCs | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 04/14/2025 | -3 | Nay |
Monies collected under this new WA State Health Care Authority program (funds will come in the form of assessments on health insurance companies) may also be used "to pay for administrative and service-related costs to expand [M]edicaid access in schools by maximizing [M]edicaid funding opportunities to support the school-based health services program, school-based health clinics ["SBHCs"], and on-site behavioral health services." We do not support the expansion of SBHCs because they interfere
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| HB1452 | Establishing a state medical reserve corps. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 04/12/2023 | -5 | Yea |
Establishes a medical reserve corps controlled solely by Secretary of Health (SOH). Corps members can be individuals or any sort of entity, government or private. Licensed practitioner members provide either human health or veterinary services, the latter of which include monitoring and treating animals for “diseases that have spread or demonstrate the potential to spread to humans.” SOH chooses compensation amounts for members. Licensed members are immune from liability for civil damages.
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| HB1531 | Preserving the ability of public officials to address communicable diseases. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 04/10/2025 | -3 | Nay |
Requires state and local health officials to implement and promote "evidence-based, appropriate measures to control the spread of communicable diseases, including vaccines." Forbids the state and its political subdivisions from enacting statutes, ordinances, rules, or policies that prohibit the implementation and promotion of such measures. Removes local control of this portion of public health policy, ensuring that all officials across the state simply rubber-stamp CDC "recommendations."
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| HB1590 | Concerning enrollment stabilization funding to address enrollment declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 03/03/2022 | -3 | Nay |
Would amend statute to replenish funding to schools that was lost due to enrollment declines. The negative financial ramifications to schools due to student withdrawals will be ameliorated by the taxpayers. Companion to SB5563.
|
| HB1634 | Providing school districts and public schools with assistance to coordinate comprehensive behavioral health supports for students. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 03/06/2026 | -3 | Yea |
Implements a network of public + private orgs to coordinate mental health supports for K-12 students--training, assessments, more programs/policies, partnering with outside agencies/CBOs. While we recognize the need for some students to access mental health care, we are concerned that this bill expands the existing access to K-12 kids via school-based clinics for services provided by outside groups and that may not align with parents' values.
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| HB1638 | Promoting immunity against vaccine preventable diseases. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 04/17/2019 | -5 | Nay |
Removed personal exemption for MMR vaccine.
|
| HB1739 | Modernizing hospital policies related to pathogens of epidemiological concern. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 03/04/2022 | -3 | Yea |
Would expand hospitals' responsibility to address not only MRSA but any pathogen "of epidemiological concern" with policies that may include mandatory testing, isolation of patients, mitigation of visitor and health care workers' susceptibility to contract and transmit these pathogens, and reporting to DOH. This could jeopardize patient rights, visitation rights, and patient privacy. It would create unnecessary and unfunded additional policy, oversight and regulatory burdens.
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| HB1893 | Allowing emergency medical technicians to provide medical evaluation, testing, and vaccines outside of an emergency in response to a public health agency request. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate | 03/03/2022 | -3 | Yea |
Increases public health's reach by adding to EMT job description the provision of NON-emergency medical evaluation, testing, and vaccines in response to a public health agency request to control and prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Companion to SB5754.
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| HB2242 | State-controlled vaccine policy with no rulemaking or accountability | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/26/2026 | -3 | Nay |
Codifies DOH authority to issue vaccine guidance without rulemaking, based on ACIP or any org it deems “science-based.” Redefines vaccines in WA’s purchase program to bypass ACIP. Emergency clause blocks referendum. Shifts power to the state, reduces transparency and accountability.
|
| SB5052 | Concerning the creation of health equity zones. | Senate Final Passage as Amended by the House | 04/20/2021 | -3 | Nay |
Would create “health equity zones” in geographical areas with health disparities, inviting partnerships between providers, public health, other agencies, and nonprofits to create and manage projects and apply for resources. Would require annual reporting from DOH to the legislature.
|
| SB5130 | Concerning assisted outpatient treatment. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 03/02/2023 | -3 | Yea |
Lowers qualifications of declarant in support of a petition for a court to find that a person must involuntarily undergo a mental eval, including up to 24 hour detainment. Lowers burden of proof required for court order. Discusses orders "to receive" involuntary treatment, removing the inflammatory term "commitment." Increases the severity of consequences for a minor with deteriorating functioning or one who doesn't comply with court-imposed "less restrictive alternative treatments" for behavior
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| SB5181 | Eroding I-2081 | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/05/2025 | -3 | Nay |
Dismantles many provisions of I-2081. Ends requirement for prior notice to parents when students are offered or receive medical services, including those that the school arranges and may require follow-up care. Rather than immediate notice, allows schools up to 72 hours to give parents notice of removal of their child from campus. Removes rights of parents to review their child's mental health and medical records at school.
|
| SB5395 | Concerning comprehensive sexual health education. | Senate Final Passage as Amended by the House | 03/07/2020 | -5 | Nay |
This bill has mandated CSE in all of Washington, removing this decision from local districts, and expanding the curriculum to include controversial teachings above and beyond those that were already required.
|
| SB5399 | Concerning the creation of a universal health care commission. | Senate Final Passage as Amended by the House | 04/19/2021 | -3 | Nay |
Establishes a universal health care commission to develop a plan to create a statewide universal health care system by 2026 so that "all residents of the state have comprehensive, equitable, and affordable health care coverage under a publicly financed and privately and publicly delivered health care system." Oppose because we have witnessed the dangers of public-private partnerships with the medical and drug industry that have not served the health interests of the public.
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| SB5434 | Establishing balanced legislative oversight of gubernatorial powers during a declared emergency. | Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections: 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass | 02/21/2025 | 3 | Nay |
The 1st sub is less favorable than the original bill, whose score is recorded here. The leg or 4 leg leaders after 90 d. The orig bill would have limited govr's emergency *orders* (curfews, gathering, and other limits) to 30 d unless extended by the leg through resolution (or, if not in session, by the 4 leg leaders). However, the sub bill allows these orders to continue indefinitely, requiring action by the leg to end them.
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| SB5599 | Supporting youth and young adults seeking protected health care services. | Senate Final Passage as Amended by the House | 04/19/2023 | -3 | Nay |
A person who is sheltering a runaway or homeless youth is exempt from the requirement of reporting it to law enforcement and the parents in the event the child is seeking or receiving "gender-affirming" or "reproductive" care, including abortion, as defined in SB5489.
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| SB5632 | Minor gender surgery/abortion tourist bill | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 03/04/2025 | -3 | Nay |
This bill may result in minors from other states coming to Washington and obtaining abortion/gender "treatment" without their parents' knowledge or consent.
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| SB5883 | Concerning an unaccompanied homeless youth's ability to provide informed consent for that minor patient's own health care, including nonemergency, 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. | Senate Final Passage as Amended by the House | 03/07/2022 | -3 | Nay |
A youth of any age who is homeless and "not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian" can consent to nonemergency outpatient primary care services, including vaccination. Excludes elective surgeries. The health care worker, who is not required to obtain documentation of the child's status, is shielded from civil liability and administrative sanctions for providing services.
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| SB5909 | Concerning legislative oversight of gubernatorial powers concerning emergency proclamations and unanticipated receipts. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/15/2022 | 3 | Nay |
Allows in certain cases for legislative leadership to end a state of emergency after 90 days. Creates legislative committee to make recommendations on governor's proposals on how to allocate unanticipated federal or other funds received, when they exceed $5 million per biennium. (Existing statute already provides for such a committee; this bill defines the members. Existing statute provides for a $5 million threshhold this biennium; this bill extends that indefinitely.)
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| SB5912 | Improving health outcomes for children on medicaid. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/11/2022 | -3 | Yea |
Adds to Apple Health's duties AAP's Bright Futures Recommendations, which include all CDC schedule vaccines. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
|
| SB5924 | Expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/17/2026 | -3 | Nay |
This bill could be especially harmful in light of Washington's minor consent laws with respect to contraceptives, medical abortions, and vaccines.
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| SB5982 | Allows monoclonal antibodies to be called and funded like "vaccines" | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/01/2024 | -3 | Nay |
Redefined "vaccine" to omit that it is "a preparation of killed or attenuated living microorganisms, or fraction thereof, that upon administration stimulates immunity that protects against diseases" and instead simply calls it an "immunization." Now allows WA Vaccine Assn to participate in funding all WA newborns <8 months in "their first RSV season" to be given the brand-new Beyfortis (nirsevimab) a monoclonal antibody (MA)--not a vaccine--injection for RSV, as well as all future pediatric MAs.
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| SB6095 | Establishing clear authority for the secretary of health to issue standing orders. | Senate 3rd Reading & Final Passage | 02/09/2024 | -3 | Nay |
Gives Secretary of Health (SOH) authority to issue a prescriptive "standing order" for "tools" to control disease AND to control ANY threat to public health. This includes products to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease. The bill exempts SOH from all civil/criminal damage claims that arise from this law. DOH may acquire and deliver the subject products. Standing orders can compromise informed consent because providers use a presumptive approach with their patients.
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| SCR8402 | Extending certain gubernatorial orders issued in response to the COVID-19 state of emergency. | Senate Adoption | 01/13/2021 | -5 | Nay |
Already adopted on January 18: serves to extend current gubernatorial emergency declaration indefinitely, given its reliance upon definition of "until order is restored" that is not already considered to have been met.
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Rated Sponored Bills
| Bill | Bill Name | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB5014 | Prohibiting the adoption of rules for the enforcement of gubernatorial emergency orders without legislative approval. | 3 |
An agency may not adopt a rule to enforce a gubernatorial emergency order unless the agency first receives approval from the legislature via concurrent resolution.
|
| SB5039 | Subjecting all gubernatorial emergency orders to legislative approval after thirty days. | 3 |
Limits gubernatorial emergency orders to 30 days absent the legislature's extension thereof.
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| SB5064 | Creating an advisory council on rare diseases. | -3 |
We are reluctant to provide additional taxpayer assets to fund more public health initiatives, in part because this could trigger increased mandatory genetic testing at birth or otherwise fortify agencies' ability to interfere with people's medical decisions.
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| SB5139 | Providing protections for Washington residents who decline COVID-19 vaccinations or who were terminated for refusing vaccination. | 5 |
No state agency may require an individual to take COVID-19 vaccine against his objections, including for work, education, travel, entry to a public place, or contracting with a state agency. No employer, school or university, transportation provider, or any place of public accommodation may require CV-19 vax. Employees who resigned or were terminated secondary to Proclamation 21-14 are entitled to restored employment or lost wages. If they do not wish to return, former employees are entitled to
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| SB5144 | Protecting the right of every Washington resident to decline an immunization or vaccination for COVID-19. | 5 |
No employer, school, agency, transportation provider, place of public resort, assembly, or amusement may require CV-19 vaccine.
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| SB5596 | Restoring trust in public health through consumer protection. | 5 |
Requires agencies to comply with the same promotion laws that govern drug and medical device companies; prevents agencies from having membership in organizations that are sponsored by the industry whose products the agencies regulate or promote. Companion to bipartisan HB1610.
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| SB5653 | Protecting the childhood of children. | 5 |
Suspends minor consent laws, thus requiring parental consent to medical interventions, with the possible exception of abortion, depending on legal details outside of this bill. Limits K-3 classroom instruction on sexuality/gender. Codifies the right of minor children to have their parents direct their ed, healthcare, moral/religious training and to access their school and health records, as well as to consent to biometric scan and DNA testing. Increases transparency from schools as to curriculum
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| SB5680 | Restoring the jobs and volunteer positions of individuals who were terminated from employment despite exercising their personal medical and religious rights. | 5 |
Requires employers to offer to restore (to the same positions) employees' and volunteers' positions if they were terminated or resigned due to proclamation 21-14. Recognizes individual rights to religious liberty and bodily integrity and that natural immunity is superior to vaccination for CV-19.
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| SB5682 | Protecting the freedom to choose whether to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. | -3 |
Requires COVID-19 test sites to provide free antibody testing for employees whose employers require proof of CV-19 vaccination. Requires employers to accept positive tests as an alternative to vaccination. While ICWA supports an employee's right to decline vaccination, our goal is to end all workplace requirements regarding anyone to submit health information as a condition of employment, service, education, or any other rights.
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| SB5683 | Prohibiting the government from requiring proof of vaccination to access public places. | 3 |
Government may not require proof of any vaccine for entry to public place or any sites accessible to the general public for business, entertainment, or another lawful purpose. A "public place" includes the front, immediate area, or parking lot of any store, restaurant, or other place of business; any public building, its grounds, or surrounding area; or any public parking lot, street, park. It is ambiguous as to whether this bill prevents a private entity from requiring such proof.
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| SB5777 | Addressing the vaccination for COVID-19 requirement for children attending schools or day care centers. | -1 |
If BOH adds CV-19 shots to the "required for school" list, the shots will not actually be required unless the local school district affirmatively adopts the "requirement." While ICWA opposes any action by the BOH to add these experimental products to any school "requirements," it does not support giving a school board authority to require them, either. No one should have the power to coerce another into undergoing a medical procedure; it is a personal decision.
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| SB5781 | Restoring trust in public health by conforming to food and drug administration labeling. | 5 |
Filed at the request of ICWA. State agencies and WA executive branch must comply with FDA labeling rules/limitations when promoting vaccines, masks, and other FDA-regulated products/devices. The bill provides for compliance monitoring, correction of violations, and annual reporting to the state auditor, who shall investigate complaints of violations.
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| SB5783 | Prohibiting use of vaccination status in certain administrative and legal proceedings. | 5 |
Filed at the request of ICWA. Prohibits the consideration of an individual's vaccination status as a factor in legal proceedings related to guardianship of minors and incapacitated adults, parenting plans, child support, adoption, and child abuse cases.
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| SB5836 | Concerning informed consent for COVID-19 vaccines. | 3 |
Providers must inform patients of potential adverse reactions, including death, caused by CV-19 vaccine, and that it is only EUA. Patients must certify receipt of this info in writing and consent to the product in writing.
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| SB5864 | Concerning unemployment eligibility for certain unvaccinated employees. | 3 |
Ensures unemployment benefits for those who lost or left their jobs secondary to CV vaccine "requirements."
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| SB5912 | Improving health outcomes for children on medicaid. | -3 |
Adds to Apple Health's duties AAP's Bright Futures Recommendations, which include all CDC schedule vaccines. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
|
| SB5943 | Establishing balanced legislative oversight of gubernatorial powers during a declared emergency. | 5 |
Gives in-session legislature the authority to end a gubernatorial state of emergency upon concurrent resolution. If not in session, legislature's 4 leaders may terminate it after 90 days. Limits governor's authority to impose curfew/gathering limits/street use/etc. to 30 days unless extended by legislators (concurrent resolution if in session; 3 of the 4 leaders if not).
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| SB6191 | Limiting state medicaid coverage for transition-related surgical and nonsurgical interventions to only adults. | 3 |
Prohibits state Medicaid from paying for certain sex-denying medical interventions for minors. We support this bill because minors are not capable of providing informed consent to such procedures.
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| SB6285 | Relieving school districts of certain requirements. | 3 |
Among other things, this bill allows school districts to choose whether to offer sex ed (current law mandates it). If schools do choose to offer it, they wouldn’t be required to meet the grade-by-grade schedule now in effect.
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| SB6636 | Monitoring vaccine adverse events. | 5 |
Would have established a state system similar to VAERS
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