2026 Legislative Session Recap

As the 2026 legislative sessions wrap up in Olympia and Salem, the Northwest Kidney Council (NWKC) reflects on a session marked by both tangible progress and ongoing challenges across our legislative priorities.

In Washington, NWKC saw meaningful success with three key bills becoming law, and one funding assumption for the 2027-2029 biennium -

• SHB 2088 (Dietitian Licensure Compact) was enacted, allowing Washington to join a multi-state compact and expand access to licensed dietitians, making it easier for licensed dietitians to become credentialed in Washington State. For kidney dialysis patients, access to dietitians is a key resource in preventing health complications

  
  

• EHB 2211 (Medically Tailored Meals) passed as well, ensuring individuals enrolled in medical assistance programs have access to nutrition support alongside the high-quality care delivered by kidney dialysis providers

  
  

• ESHB 2238 (Statewide Food Insecurity) was also enacted, directing the Washington Department of Agriculture to develop a long-term strategy to address food insecurity and report back to the Legislature by December 1, 2027

  
  

• In addition, while legislation related to free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students (HB 1404 and SB 5352) didn’t pass, legislation that enacted the millionaire’s tax (SB 6346) included budget assumptions to fully fund free meals in the 2027-2029 biennium.

  
  

Together, these policies represent real progress in strengthening kidney dialysis patient support systems, particularly around nutrition and access to care, both of which are essential to improving health outcomes.

At the same time, several NWKC-supported bills did not advance. These include:

• HB 1603 and HB 1754, aimed at expanding access to Medigap coverage.

  
  

• HB 1238 and SB 5064, which proposed establishing a statewide rare disease advisory council.

In the case of legislation to expand access to Medigap coverage, concerns were expressed about the impact on premiums by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The Rare Disease Advisory Council, legislation stalled due to fiscal constraints and lack of consensus during a tight budget year. All priority NWKC legislation had strong coalition support.

In Oregon, the session proved more challenging overall. Priority legislation such as SB 1181 (Medigap access expansion), HB 2554 (Social Worker Licensure Compact), and HB 2955 (Continuous Glucose Monitoring coverage) did not advance. Additional efforts, including SB 966 (Nurse Licensure Compact) and HB 3942 (Expedited Licensure Process for Health Care Facilities), also fell short this session.

This year’s short session in Oregon was heavily shaped by budget pressures tied to federal funding changes made by H.R. 1 in 2025 and the need to rebalance state agency budgets, limiting the advancement of many healthcare-focused bills supported by NWKC.

Across both states, NWKC remained actively engaged, submitting testimony, supporting coalitions, and elevating the voices of kidney dialysis patient and the providers who care for them.

While not every priority crossed the finish line, the 2026 session delivered important wins and set the stage for continued progress in 2027.