Washington legislation · 2025-26 Regular Session
Washington SB5594: Biosimilar medicines
Status: Passed one chamber, March 12, 2026
Concerning biosimilar medicines.
What the bill says
An act Relating to reducing prescription drug costs by eliminating barriers impeding access to biosimilar medicines; amending RCW 48.43.420, 41.05.410, 69.41.120, and 69.41.125; and creating a new section. NEW SECTION.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT Relating to reducing prescription drug costs by eliminating barriers impeding access to biosimilar medicines; amending RCW 48.43.420, 41.05.410, 69.41.120, and 69.41.125; and creating a new section. NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that increasing access to biosimilar medicines has the potential to significantly reduce prescription drug costs. Biosimilar medicines are approved according to the same food and drug administration standards of pharmaceutical quality, safety, and efficacy as their reference medicines. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to eliminate barriers impeding access to biosimilar medicines and the savings they can provide. Sec. 2. RCW 48.43.420 and 2019 c 171 s 3 are each amended to read as follows: For health plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2021: (1) When coverage of a prescription drug for the treatment of any medical condition is subject to prescription drug utilization management, the patient and prescribing practitioner must have access to a clear, readily accessible, and convenient process to request an exception through which the prescription drug utilization management can be overridden in favor of coverage of a prescription drug prescribed by a treating health care provider. A health carrier or prescription drug utilization management entity may use its existing medical exceptions process to satisfy this requirement. The process must be easily accessible on …
Sponsors
- Paul Harris (R) · primary sponsor
- Annette Cleveland (D)
- Robert Hasegawa (D)
- Sharon Shewmake (D)
Latest actions
- : By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.
- : Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- : HCW - Majority; do pass.
- : Executive action taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- : Public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 8:30 AM.
- : First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.
- : Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.
- : Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- : Floor amendment
- : Returned to second reading for amendment.
Votes
- House Committee on Health Care & Wellness: Do pass (February 25, 2026): 18 yea, 0 nay, passed
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (January 21, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (March 11, 2025): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5594 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass (February 18, 2025): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: HEALTH INSURANCE
Common questions
- What is SB5594?
- SB5594 is a bill in the Washington Legislature (2025-26 Regular Session): Biosimilar medicines.
- What does SB5594 do?
- In its own words: An act Relating to reducing prescription drug costs by eliminating barriers impeding access to biosimilar medicines; amending RCW 48.43.420, 41.05.410, 69.41.120, and 69.41.125; and creating a new section. NEW SECTION.
- What is the status of SB5594?
- Passed one chamber as of March 12, 2026. Latest action: By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading. (March 12, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB5594?
- Paul Harris (R), with 3 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB5594?
- On the Washington Legislature website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5594&Year=2025
Source: official Washington record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.