Washington Military Legislation & Policies

Occupational Licensure Interstate Compacts13/19 Sub-priorities passed

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Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact

Athletic Trainer Compact

Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact

02/08/2023HB1001

03/29/2023HB1001

04/13/2023

Audiology/Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Final Legislation

This bill enacts the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact in Washington State.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Cosmetology Licensure Compact

03/07/2025HB 1023

04/16/2025HB 1023

05/12/2025

Cosmetology Licensure Compact Final Legislation

The Cosmetology Compact was adopted by Washington State to increase licensure portability for cosmetologists. This legislation was signed with an effective date June 1, 2028.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Dental and Dental Hygienist Compact

03/04/2023HB 1576

04/06/2023HB 1576

05/04/2023

Dental and Dental Hygienist Compact Final Legislation

Provides for Washington State to join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist compact.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Dietitian Licensure Compact

02/10/2026HB 2088

03/03/2026HB 2088

03/11/2026

Dietitian Licensure Compact Final Legislation

HB2088, sponsored by Representative Mari Leavitt, implements the Dietitian Licensure Compact. The Dietitian Compact will facilitate multistate practice by reducing unnecessary licensure burdens and improve public safety by enhancing state information sharing. The Dietitian compact supports military spouse occupational licensure portability.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Emergency Medical Services Licensure Compact

Esthetics Licensure Compact

Interstate Compact for School Psychologists

Interstate Massage Therapy Compact

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact

03/07/2024SB 5180

03/07/2023SB 5180

03/28/2024

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Final Legislation

Concerning the licensure and employment of out-of-state teachers; adopts the interstate teacher mobility compact.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Licensed Professional Counseling Compact

02/06/2023HB1069

04/05/2023HB1069

04/13/2023

Licensed Professional Counseling Compact Final Legislation

This legislation enters Washington State into the Counseling Compact.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Nurse Licensure Compact

04/06/2023SB 5499

03/06/2023SB 5499

04/20/2023

Nurse Licensure Compact Final Legislation

This legislation enters Washington State into the Nurse Licensure Compact.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact

03/02/2022SB5518

02/02/2022SB5518

03/24/2022

Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact Final Legislation

The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) is an interstate compact, or a formal agreement among states, to facilitate interstate practice of occupational therapy. Under the OT Compact, Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) who are licensed in good standing in a Compact member state may practice in other Compact member states via a “compact privilege,” which is equivalent to a license. The OT Compact establishes a licensure data system allowing for instantaneous verification of licensure information. The Compact also establishes an interstate commission, composed of member state officials, to carry out the Compact’s purposes.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Physical Therapy Licensure Compact

02/09/2017HB-1278

04/05/2017HB-1278

04/25/2017

Physical Therapy Licensure Compact Final Legislation

Washington enacts and formally joins the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (Compact), allowing physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in other Compact states to practice in Washington and allowing physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in Washington to practice in other Compact states. The practice of physical therapy occurs in the state where the patient is located at the time of the encounter.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Physician Associates Compact

01/29/20241917

02/28/20241917

03/13/2024

Physician Associates Compact Final Legislation

The Physician Assistant Compact is established, allowing licensed physician assistants to practice across state lines in Compact states under a Compact privilege.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact

02/09/2022HB 1286

02/25/2022HB 1286

03/04/2022

Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact Final Legislation

Adopts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow professionals who are licensed in a compact state to provide psychological services through the use of telecommunication technologies and temporary in-person practice.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Respiratory Care Interstate Compact

03/04/2025HB 1114

04/04/2025HB 1114

04/16/2025

Respiratory Care Interstate Compact Final Legislation

HB1114, sponsored by Representative Mari Leavitt, implements the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC) for respiratory therapists. There are approximately 130,000 licensed respiratory therapists in the United States. The Respiratory Care Interstate Compact will facilitate multistate practice by reducing unnecessary licensure burdens and improve public safety by enhancing state information sharing. The RCIC supports military spouse occupational licensure portability.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Social Work Licensure Compact

01/29/20241939

02/28/20241939

03/19/2024

Social Work Licensure Compact Final Legislation

The Social Work Licensure Compact is established, which allows licensed social workers to practice across state lines in Compact states under a Compact privilege.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Military Spouse Employment Preference2/3 Sub-priorities passed

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Employment Preference - Private Sector

01/30/2025HB1738

01/21/2026SB5420

03/24/2026

Employment Preference - Private Sector Final Legislation

Senate Bill 5420 expands hiring preference, for jobs in public departments or on public works projects, to the spouses of active-duty service members and the spouses of veterans who have a permanent and total disability connected to their military service. Additionally, SB5420 allows private employers in Washington to preference spouses of active-duty service members. By giving this preference, companies are legally protected from violating any state or local equal employment opportunity laws.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Employment Preference - Public Sector

01/30/2025HB1738

01/21/2026SB5420

03/24/2026

Employment Preference - Public Sector Final Legislation

Senate Bill 5420 expands hiring preference, for jobs in public departments or on public works projects, to the spouses of active-duty service members and the spouses of veterans who have a permanent and total disability connected to their military service. Additionally, SB5420 allows private employers in Washington to preference spouses of active-duty service members. By giving this preference, companies are legally protected from violating any state or local equal employment opportunity laws.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Employment Preference - Procurement

Military Clause in State Family Leave Laws

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10/19/2017

Military Clause in State Family Leave Laws Final Legislation

Under the Washington State Military Family Leave Act (SB6447) adopted in 2008 military spouses and domestic partners are allowed fifteen days of unpaid leave prior to or during a period of military conflict. This policy requires the leave to be used prior to deployment or concurrent with the servicemembers leave during deployment. In 2017, Washington State established a paid family leave program (SB5975) which includes coverage for a qualifying exigency as defined under the federal family and medical leave act and provides benefits to care for a family member with a serious injury or illness.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Solutions for Military Homeschoolers1/3 Sub-priorities passed

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Streamline Requirements

Ensure Extracurricular Access

05/21/1985

Ensure Extracurricular Access Final Legislation

RCW 28A.150.350 "Part time students—Defined—Enrollment authorized—Reimbursement for costs—Funding authority recognition—Rules, regulations." was updated in 1985 to clarify home-based instruction. SSB 3279 updated statute to allow home-schooled students to access ancillary services and courses from public schools on a part-time basis, ensuring they are not excluded from resources available to other students and specifying that school districts will be reimbursed for the costs associated with these part-time students.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Clarify JROTC Eligibility

State Exemption for Military-Certified Family Child Care Homes

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04/10/2025SB 5545

03/03/2025SB 5545

04/29/2025

State Exemption for Military-Certified Family Child Care Homes Final Legislation

Family home providers, that are overseen by a federal military service, serve only military children, and are located in the surrounding metropolitan area of a federal military reservation, are exempted from obtaining state licensing. The State of Washington maintains investigation authority.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

State Support of Military Families with Special Education Needs2/2 Sub-priorities passed

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Minimize Delays

02/12/2026HB 2534

02/28/2026HB 2534

03/11/2026

Minimize Delays Final Legislation

House Bill 2534 clarifies the timely transfer of special education records, modernizes advance enrollment procedures, and broadens access to advance enrollment for students from military families who are relocating to Washington State. This legislation requires school districts offer comparable services to students upon enrollment, based on a previous evaluation. Additionally, districts must take reasonable measures to expedite the transfer of special education records and adhere to the current state requirement of evaluating a student within 35 school days, if an evaluation is deemed necessary.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Reduce Burdens

01/08/2024HB 1914

01/31/2024SB 5883

03/13/2024

Reduce Burdens Final Legislation

This legislation establishes that a school district has the burden of proof, including the burden of persuasion and production, whenever it is a party to a due process hearing. The statute is applicable to hearings regarding the identification, evaluation, reevaluation, classification, educational placement, disciplinary action, or provision of a free appropriate public education for a student with a disability. The burden of proof must be met by a preponderance of the evidence.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Education Policy Implementation and Information Enhancements1/4 Sub-priorities passed

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Advance Enrollment

02/12/2026HB2534

02/28/2026HB2534

03/11/2026

Advance Enrollment Final Legislation

Washington State has enhanced its policy on advance enrollment by explicitly allowing military families to enroll their children before arriving in the state, using any reasonable method such as email or postal mail. This now includes children who are moving to the state while awaiting a family member on military orders or are relocating due to a military exigency. Currently, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction does not offer a dedicated, user-friendly webpage with comprehensive information about this policy for military families.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Military Student Identifier (MSI)

Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children

Purple Star Schools Program

Open Enrollment Flexibility

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Concurrent Juvenile Jurisdiction

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04/23/1979

Concurrent Juvenile Jurisdiction Final Legislation

Washington State has an established process for retrocession of federal military lands. Revised Code of Washington 37.04.050 directs the Governor of Washington State to accept jurisdiction over owned or exclusive federal lands, as necessary to establish concurrent jurisdiction. The statute clarifies that the notice of retrocession must include a description of the property, the period of authorization, and be filed with the secretary of state to become effective. This statute, established in 1979 by HB1176, has been utilized successfully to retrocede exclusive jurisdiction of military lands in Washington State.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

State Response to Military Interpersonal Violence0/2 Sub-priorities passed

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Enhance Information-Sharing

Allow Military Protective Orders as Evidence

Military Community Representation on State Defense Councils

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05/15/2026

Military Community Representation on State Defense Councils Final Legislation

On May 15, 2026, Washington State is relaunched the Washington State Military Transition and Readiness Council (WSMTRC). Originally established by a Governor’s Executive Order in 2013 and updated via Executive Order in 2019, the council serves as a central resource for state leaders on military affairs. The Council’s focus is Military Installation Support and Sustainability, Military Family Quality of Life, Economic and Workforce Development, and Advocacy and Policy. Chaired by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Director, the WSMTRC dedicates membership seats to military installation leadership, alongside the Governor’s Cabinet and community partners. This structure guarantees that the unique needs of military family quality of life and the defense community are directly integrated into state policy planning. This collaborative approach is designed to provide continuous feedback between the state and military partners. Additionally, it enhances community-level support, elevates military family concerns directly to state program areas, and ultimately improves overall military readiness and retention.

For more information, view the full legislative or policy details.

Status and Demographic Content

State Details

Regional Liaison

Other Content

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State Policy Priorities 2026

Status and Demographic Content

State Details

Regional Liaison

Other Content

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State Policy Priorities 2026

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