republic-os/legislation/us/states/wa/2017-2018/hb-2779.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Improving access to mental health services for children and youth."
description: "Improving access to mental health services for children and youth."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "HB 2779"
citation: "Washington HB 2779 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION", "OFFICE (OSPI)", "MENTAL HEALTH", "LEGISLATURE", "CHILD CARE", "CHILDREN", "YOUTH", "AND FAMILIES", "DEPARTMENT", "SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS", "HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND PROVIDERS", "CHILDREN", "PUBLIC ASSISTANCE", "HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY", "SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES", "DEPARTMENT"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Senn"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 42
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2018-01-16"
last_action: "2018-03-22"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/74293eaa-f444-4b2e-ac87-cd6f5e80c5e0"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2779&year=2017"
source_hash: "a98c71db2c9c3219bebac3f318f6989723403472ce3862191cc737d432fe45a1"
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 HB 2779 (2017-2018) — Improving access to mental health services for children and youth.

## 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/House%20Bills/2779.htm)
2. **Engrossed Second Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/2779-S2.E.htm)
3. **Second Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/2779-S2.htm)
4. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/House%20Bills/2779-S.htm)

## Votes

- Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#20) — **48–0** (pass) · upper
- Final Passage (#12) — **84–14** (pass) · lower
- Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#10) — **88–10** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Senn — primary (person)
- Bergquist — cosponsor (person)
- Dent — cosponsor (person)
- Doglio — cosponsor (person)
- Eslick — cosponsor (person)
- Goodman — cosponsor (person)
- Kloba — cosponsor (person)
- Macri — cosponsor (person)
- Pollet — cosponsor (person)
- Santos — cosponsor (person)
- Tharinger — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2018-01-16** First reading, referred to Early Learning & Human Services (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report). `reading-1`
- **2018-01-19** ELHS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-24** Referred to Appropriations.
- **2018-02-06** APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-02-06** Minority; do not pass.
- **2018-02-06** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2018-02-08** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-12** 2nd substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-01-19** ELHS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-01-24** Referred to Appropriations.
- **2018-02-06** APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-02-06** Minority; do not pass.
- **2018-02-06** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2018-02-08** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-12** 2nd substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-02-06** APP - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2018-02-06** Minority; do not pass.
- **2018-02-06** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2018-02-08** Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- **2018-02-12** 2nd substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2018-02-12** Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- **2018-02-12** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-02-12** Third reading, passed; yeas, 84; nays, 14; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2018-02-15** First reading, referred to Human Services & Corrections. `reading-1`
- **2018-02-21** HSC - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
- **2018-02-21** And refer to Ways & Means. `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-22** Referred to Ways & Means.
- **2018-02-26** WM - Majority; do pass without amendment(s) by Human Services & Corrections.
- **2018-02-26** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2018-02-26** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2018-02-28** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2018-03-01** Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.
- **2018-03-01** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2018-03-01** Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 1; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2018-03-05** House concurred in Senate amendments.
- **2018-03-05** Passed final passage; yeas, 88; nays, 10; absent, 0; excused, 0. `passage`
- **2018-03-08** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-08** President signed. `passage`
- **2018-03-08** Delivered to Governor.
- **2018-03-22** Governor signed. `executive-signature`
- **2018-03-22** Chapter 175, 2018 Laws. `became-law`
- **2018-03-22** 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/74293eaa-f444-4b2e-ac87-cd6f5e80c5e0`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).