The bill seeks to improve the background check process for home care workers in Washington State by amending existing laws governing the screening of long-term care workers. It stipulates that the Department of Social and Health Services cannot automatically disqualify individuals with certain criminal convictions after a designated period, provided they meet specific criteria. The legislation outlines timeframes for various offenses, such as three years for selling cannabis to a minor and ten years for first-degree theft, while clarifying that these provisions do not apply to background checks for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or its employees, except under certain conditions.

Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for character, competence, and suitability reviews, allowing authorized entities to assess whether to consider certain convictions when hiring or licensing individuals with unsupervised access to vulnerable adults or children. It establishes a temporary practice period for individual providers to work while their background checks are pending, contingent on meeting specific conditions. Clients receiving services must be informed of the background check results and their rights regarding those results. The bill also expands definitions related to long-term care workers and tasks the department with adopting rules to implement these changes, ultimately aiming to enhance safety and oversight for vulnerable populations in care settings.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 43.20A.715, 74.39A.056