Senate Bill 5060 has advanced to the Rules Committee of the Senate. The bill was originally written to limit the number of adult family homes to no more than two in a four block radius. The bill was already heard in Senate Health Care Committee. Despite opposition from RCS, Disability Rights Washington, the Adult Family Home Council and many providers who signed in in opposition of the bill, the committee moved the bill forward with a do pass recommendation. Now the bill is sitting in the Senate Rules Committee. Before leaving the Health Care Committee, the bill was amended to limit the reach of this restriction to Peirce county and would grandfather in all existing licenses. Regardless of these amendments, the Council still believes this bill to be a violation of fair housing standards and the American’s with Disabilities Act. Further, we are aware of approximately 16 application pending for Peirce County that could potentially be affected.
Steps before this bill becomes a law
- Senate Rules Committee
- Senate Floor
- House Health Care Committee
- House Rules Committee
- House Floor
- Governor’s signature
Help stop this bill where it is. The Adult Family Home Council has already sent communication to every member of the Rules Committee asking them to stop moving the bill forward. We encourage all provider who are represented by a member of the Rule Committee to do the same. A list of Rule Committee Members is available by clicking here. Additionally, even if you are not represented by a Rules committee member, you can comment on the bill by clicking here.
To comment you must verify your address so that it will be routed to your senator. We suggest you state the following points:
Senate Bill 5060:
- Unfairly discriminates against those who live in adult family home
- Violates fair housing standards
- Does not solve the problem or concerns of those who brought this forward
- Restricts resources in a time when more resources are needed
For any additional questions, please contact the Adult Family Home Council
One Response
John, thank you very much for the timely update and the road map. Though the bill is still at an early stage, I am quite shocked to see it pushed even a bit.
The AFHs are providing much needed service for a nominal fee in this highly regulated and difficult environment. I don’t see how or why would any one wants to limit this service. Let the market dictate the number or the distance. Everytime politicians and special interest grpups come on board, the law of supply and demand goes out the window and all we will have is havoc.
I’m confident we will be able to fight it back.
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