Public Health and Safety

Public Health Governance and Administration

Statutes that define how the public health system is structured, funded, and coordinated.

  • RCW 70.01 – General provisions

  • RCW 70.05 – Local health departments, boards, officers—Regulations

  • RCW 70.08 – Combined city-county health departments

  • RCW 70.12 – Public health funds

  • RCW 70.14 – Health care services purchased by state agencies

  • RCW 70.15 – Uniform emergency volunteer health practitioners act

  • RCW 70.54 - Miscellaneous health and safety provisions

Disease Prevention and Population Health Programs

Statutes addressing prevention, disease control, and statewide health programs.

  • RCW 70.22 – Mosquito control

  • RCW 70.24 – Control and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

  • RCW 70.26 – Pandemic influenza preparedness

  • RCW 70.28 – Control of tuberculosis

  • RCW 70.30 – Tuberculosis hospitals, facilities, and funding

  • RCW 70.83 – Phenylketonuria and other preventable heritable disorders

  • RCW 70.83E – Prenatal newborn screening for exposure to harmful drugs

  • RCW 70.168 – Statewide trauma care system

  • RCW 70.290 – Washington vaccine association

Health Care System Regulation and Facilities

Statutes that regulate hospitals, medical facilities, and healthcare services.

  • RCW 70.38 – Health planning and development

  • RCW 70.40 – Hospital and medical facilities survey and construction act

  • RCW 70.41 – Hospital licensing and regulation

  • RCW 70.42 – Medical test sites

  • RCW 70.43 – Hospital staff membership or privileges

  • RCW 70.230 – Ambulatory surgical facilities

  • RCW 70.335 – Blood establishments

  • RCW 70.352 – Dental laboratories

  • RCW 70.400 – Health care entities – Pregnancy complications

Environmental Health and Community Safety

Statutes focused on environmental hazards, housing conditions, and public safety risks.

  • RCW 70.62 – Transient accommodations—Licensing—Inspections

  • RCW 70.90 – Water recreation facilities

  • RCW 70.98 – Nuclear energy and radiation

  • RCW 70.100 - Eye protection - Public and private educational institutions

  • RCW 70.102 – Hazardous substance information

  • RCW 70.104 – Pesticides—Health hazards

  • RCW 70.114A – Temporary worker housing—Health and safety regulation

  • RCW 70.121 – Mill tailings—Licensing and perpetual care

  • RCW 70.142 – Chemical contaminants and water quality

Health Workforce, Access, and Rural Health

Statutes addressing workforce training, recruitment, and improving healthcare access.

  • RCW 70.112 – Family medicine education and residency programs

  • RCW 70.175 – Rural health system project

  • RCW 70.180 – Rural health care

  • RCW 70.185 – Recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural and underserved areas

Health Data, Patient Rights, and End-of-Life Care

Statutes focused on patient protections, data systems, and reporting.

  • RCW 70.02 – Medical records—Health care information access and disclosure

  • RCW 70.30 – Medical records – Providing information to patients

  • RCW 70.56 – Adverse health events and incident reporting system

  • RCW 70.58 – Vital statistics

  • RCW 70.58A – Vital statistics

  • RCW 70.170 – Health data and charity care

  • RCW 70.225 – Prescription monitoring program

  • RCW 70.122 – Natural death act

  • RCW 70.245 – Washington death with dignity act

Long-Term Care and Community-Based Services

Statutes regulating long-term care and in-home services.

Emergency Preparedness and Specialized Health Services

Statutes addressing emergency response systems and specialized health roles.