WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 5163

Modernizing the child fatality statute.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Annette Cleveland and 11 co-sponsors

Washington bill modernizes child fatality reviews: expands scope to age 19, broadens data access for reviews, keeps most info confidential, with limited use in criminal cases.

Effective date 7/27/2025.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 5163

SB 5163 — Modernizing the child fatality statute (Chapter 123, 2025 Laws)

Summary
SB 5163 updates Washington’s statute governing local child mortality reviews (renamed “child fatality reviews”) to broaden review scope, strengthen data access for reviews, clarify confidentiality rules, and provide limited pathways for certain review information to be used in criminal proceedings. The bill passed the Legislature in 2025 and is effective July 27, 2025.

Purpose and intent
- Encourage and support local child fatality review teams to identify preventable causes of child deaths and to improve public health and systems responses.
- Provide legal protections and clear authority for local health departments (LHDs), the Department of Health (DOH), participating professionals, and families while enabling LHDs to obtain necessary records for thorough reviews.

Key provisions
- Terminology and age scope
- Renames “child mortality review” to “child fatality review.”
- Expands the population reviewed from “children less than 18 years of age” to “children up to 19 years of age” (i.e., includes 18-year-olds).

  • Data access and mandatory production

    • LHDs may request and must be provided, upon request, records and data relevant to a specific fatality, including medical records, autopsy/medical examiner/coroner reports, school records, law enforcement and criminal justice records, social services records, laboratory reports, and related documents.
    • Entities required to provide records include health care providers, hospitals, clinics, schools, law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, laboratories, medical examiners/coroners, DOH‑licensed professions/facilities, local health departments, Health Care Authority (HCA), DSHS, DCYF and their licensees/providers.
    • Birth and death certifications/informational copies from the state vital records system must be provided free of charge.

  • Data retention and analysis

    • LHDs and DOH may retain identifiable and geographic information for trend analysis, longitudinal study, and quality improvement.
    • Such identifiable/location-revealing records are not to be made public and are protected under state public-record exemptions (RCW 42.56.365).

  • Confidentiality and limited legal use

    • Information submitted to DOH/LHDs as part of a child fatality review is generally exempt from public disclosure, discovery, subpoena, and introduction into evidence in administrative or civil proceedings.
    • The bill maintains broad confidentiality protections but creates limited exceptions: witness statements, documents collected from witnesses, or summaries prepared for a child fatality review may, under defined circumstances, be introduced into evidence in criminal proceedings relating to the child’s death. Local health department officials may also be examined in criminal proceedings as to the existence or contents of documents assembled for a review.
    • If a review team identifies a current, reportable, unresolved concern of child abuse/neglect, the team may designate one member to report to the child abuse hotline. Review team members are not made mandatory reporters by this provision.

  • DOH database and funding

    • DOH continues to assist LHDs in collecting reports and entering data into a database. The bill removes a prior restriction limiting DOH assistance funding sources (previously constrained to federal and private funds).

Who is affected
- Local health departments and the Department of Health (administration, data custodians).
- Health care providers, hospitals, clinics, laboratories, schools, law enforcement, medical examiners/coroners, HCA, DSHS, DCYF, and their licensees/providers (obligated to provide records on request).
- Families of deceased children (strengthened confidentiality; potential for certain review-derived information to be used in criminal prosecutions).
- Prosecutors and defense in criminal cases concerning child deaths (narrow evidentiary pathways established).

Procedural status & effective date
- Introduced Jan 7, 2025; passed Senate March 12, 2025 (48–0); passed House April 10, 2025 (85–10).
- Governor signed April 22, 2025 — Chapter 123, 2025 Laws.
- Effective date: July 27, 2025.

Notes
- Several House amendments were proposed (including one to restore the prior age limit and one to include certain perinatal deaths), but they were not adopted.
- Fiscal note available; the bill contains no explicit appropriation.

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

Sign in to ask a question.