All Eyes on Olympia: NWKC’s 2026 Legislative Priorities

With the convening of Washington’s 60-day legislative session on January 12, Northwest Kidney Council (NWKC) is once again turning its focus to Olympia to advocate for policies supporting kidney dialysis patients and providers.

In short sessions, legislation that was introduced in 2025, but not passed the Legislature, is still considered “active” in 2026. For that reason, we have included bills that we supported in 2025, and several new bills that have been introduced in 2026.

A central focus for NWKC this session is advancing coordinated care for Washingtonians living with chronic conditions. NWKC supports legislation establishing a Rare Disease Advisory Council (HB 1238 / SB 5064), which would bring patient voices, clinicians, and researchers together to improve diagnosis, treatment, and education around the role chronic conditions play in managing kidney disease, helping inform policies that better serve dialysis patients and providers statewide. We are also backing efforts to rename and expand the Governor’s Council on Health Disparities (HB 1262 / SB 5228), strengthening the state’s ability to set shared goals around health and equity.

Prevention and nutrition are another key issue area. Legislation creating the Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act (HB 1326 / SB 5353) recognize obesity as a chronic disease and aim to expand access to evidence-based treatments, an effort important for preventing the progression of kidney disease. NWKC also supports common-sense legislation providing free breakfast and lunch for all students (HB 1404 / SB 5352) and addressing statewide food insecurity (HB 2238, read our testimony here), reflecting NWKC’s belief that long-term kidney health should involve access to nutritious food.

We are prioritizing workforce and patient access protections, including support for the Dietitian Licensure Compact (HB 2088) and legislation expanding guaranteed access to Medicare supplemental coverage (HB 1603, read our coalition support letter here)

As session continues in Olympia, NWKC will continue engaging lawmakers, submitting testimony, and amplifying kidney dialysis patient and provider voices to ensure kidney health remains part of Washington’s healthcare conversation in 2026. View NWKC’s full list of legislative priorities here.