---
type: "Bill"
title: "Encouraging the disclosure and discussion of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace."
description: "Encouraging the disclosure and discussion of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "SB 5996"
citation: "Washington SB 5996 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["SEX OFFENSES AND OFFENDERS", "LABOR", "EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYEES"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Keiser"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 28
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2017-12-04"
last_action: "2018-03-21"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/5f85a3d3-ef4a-43f8-ab8f-8622a50a6d49"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5996&year=2017"
source_hash: "902eabaa5d0dc52ff4000ebe30efb592d7643fc407553cb8e6557446f1b0ff3c"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wa"]
---

# Washington SB 5996 (2017-2018) — Encouraging the disclosure and discussion of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5996.htm)
2. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5996-S.htm)

## Votes

- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#4) — **48–0** (pass) · upper
- Final Passage (#11) — **98–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Keiser — primary (person)
- Chase — cosponsor (person)
- Darneille — cosponsor (person)
- Frockt — cosponsor (person)
- Hasegawa — cosponsor (person)
- Hunt — cosponsor (person)
- Kuderer — cosponsor (person)
- Pedersen — cosponsor (person)
- Saldaña — cosponsor (person)
- Van De Wege — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-12-04** Prefiled for introduction. `filing`
- **2018-01-08** First reading, referred to Labor & Commerce. `reading-1`
- **2018-01-31** LBRC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-31** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2018-02-01** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2018-02-02** Made eligible to be placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-06** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2018-02-08** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-01-31** LBRC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-31** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2018-02-01** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2018-02-02** Made eligible to be placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-06** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2018-02-08** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-02-08** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-02-08** Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1. `reading-3`
- **2018-02-09** First reading, referred to Labor & Workplace Standards (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report). `reading-1`
- **2018-02-22** LAWS - Majority; do pass.
- **2018-02-23** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2018-02-26** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-27** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-02-27** Third reading, passed; yeas, 98; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2018-03-01** President signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-03** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-05** Delivered to Governor.
- **2018-03-21** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2018-03-21** Chapter 117, 2018 Laws. `became-law`
- **2018-03-21** Effective date 6/7/2018. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/5f85a3d3-ef4a-43f8-ab8f-8622a50a6d49`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).