WA People
BILL · 2017–18 SESSION

HB 1810: Duty to warn/mental health

Concerning obligations of mental health professionals.

Summary

  • Provides that a mental health professional has a duty to warn or to take reasonable precautions to prevent his or her patient from harming a third person only if the patient has communicated an actual threat of physical violence against a reasonably identifiable victim or victims, and that duty is discharged if reasonable efforts are made to communicate the threat to the identifiable victim and law enforcement.
  • Specifies that a mental health professional is not liable for civil damages unless he or she fails to make reasonable efforts to communicate the threat or take other reasonable measures.

From the House Bill Analysis 2017 (HB 1810), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗

Did not pass Did not pass · died in committee
  1. IntroducedJan 30, 2017
  2. Out of committeestopped here
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. Governor
  6. Law
Prime sponsor
Eileen Cody (D-34)
Introduced
January 30, 2017 in the House
Last action
January 8, 2018
Companion bill
ESB 5800
Budget
Has a fiscal note

AN ACT Relating to obligations of mental health professionals;

Sponsors

Prime sponsor: Eileen Cody (D-34)

2 co-sponsors (1 Democrat, 1 Republican)

Paul Graves R-5Nicole Macri D-43

Votes

No recorded floor votes. This measure never reached a floor vote.

History

  1. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  2. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  3. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  4. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
  5. First reading, referred to Judiciary (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).

HB 1810 in other sessions

Bill numbers restart every two years, so the same number is a different bill in each session.

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