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Bill

HB 2038

Establishing the youth behavioral health account and funding the account through the imposition of a business and occupation additional tax on the operation of social media platforms.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lisa Callan and 12 co-sponsors

Washington bill creates youth mental health fund financed by new tax on social media platform operators to address youth behavioral health services.

Public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 10:00 AM.
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Bill Summary · HB 2038

Legislative bill overview

HB 2038 proposes creating a dedicated youth behavioral health account in Washington state and funding it through a new business and occupation (B&O) tax on social media platform operators. The bill targets revenue generation specifically to address mental health and behavioral health services for young people.

Why is this important

Youth mental health challenges have increased significantly post-pandemic, creating funding pressures on existing services. This bill attempts to tie a new revenue source directly to platforms that critics argue contribute to behavioral health issues, creating a potential "polluter pays" mechanism while generating dedicated funding for treatment and prevention.

Potential points of contention

  • Tax burden on businesses: Social media companies will argue the tax is duplicative, targets a specific industry unfairly, and may be passed to consumers or reduce platform services available to Washington users
  • Definitional challenges: The bill must clearly define what constitutes a "social media platform" to avoid unintended consequences and potential litigation over scope
  • Causation debate: Disagreement exists over whether social media platforms bear direct responsibility for youth behavioral health crises versus other contributing factors (family stress, economic conditions, bullying, etc.)
  • Fund management: Questions about whether dedicated accounts effectively solve underlying service delivery gaps or create budgeting inflexibility

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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