SBOH Home • Rule Making Process

Last updated:  February 04, 2013

SBOH Current and Anticipated Rule Making 2013

The State Board of Health adopts rules according to its statutory authority and consistent with the state's Administrative Procedures Act.

The Board regulates our state's public health efforts in immunization, safe drinking water, small on-site sewage disposal systems, control of infectious and non-infectious diseases, and assuring safe and healthful conditions in our environment with special emphasis on schools, eating establishments, and recreation sites. Its rules govern many operations within local health jurisdictions and certain practices among private health care providers, health facilities, schools, child care centers, and some businesses, such as restaurants and hotels. They also guide some activities of the state Department of Health.

Any person may petition a state agency to adopt, repeal, or amend any rule.

This page describes the status of current or recent (within the last year) rule reviews. For a complete listing and summary of the Board's rule making authority please refer to the Board's Powers and Duties. For historic rule making, please see the archived descriptions.

The Washington State Legislature provides detailed information about laws and agency rules.

The Board delegates some of its rule making functions to the Department of Health under a delegation policy. The Board has developed a flow chart that outlines the roles and processes under which the Board normally works with the state Department of Health to develop and approve these rules.

Governor Gregoire's Executive Order 11-03 suspended agency rule making through the end of 2012, unless the rule making met certain exemption criteria. Her goal was to help support the economy by giving small businesses and local governments more time to devote their full attention to creating jobs and helping communities. For more information, see the original executive order and the exemption criteria.

• State Board of Health and Department of Health current rule-making agenda
• State Board of Health Rule-making Activity under Executive Order 11-03

If you have any questions about this process, please contact Michelle Davis at 360-236-4105.

Index to Current & Anticipated Rule Making

Communicable Disease Control and Prevention

• HIV/AIDS

• Notifiable Conditions

Healthy Behaviors (Formerly Children's Health and Well-Being

• Confidential Information on Birth Certificates

• Ensuring Treatment of Newborns for Sexually Transmitted Disease

• Immunizations

• Newborn Screening

• Scoliosis Screening

• Vision Screening

Environmental Health

• Commercial Shellfish

• Drinking Water Laboratory Certification

• Food Service

• Keeping of Animals

• Onsite Sewage

• Primary and Secondary Schools

• Public Water Supplies: Group A

• Public Water Supplies: Group A - Fluoridation

• Public Water Supplies: Group B

• Transient Accommodations

• Water Recreation Facilities

• Zoonotic Diseases

Historic Rule Making

Helpful Links:

• Administrative Procedures Act
• Draft Summary of Board Authority
• Executive Order 10-06: Suspending Non-Critical Rule Development and Adoption:
• Governor Gregoire suspends state rule making process
• Historic Rule Making
• Petition a state agency to adopt, repeal, or amend any rule
• Rule Making at the State Board of Health and State Board of Health Rules Process Flow Chart
• State Board of Health and Department of Health Semi-annual rulemaking agenda
• State Board of Health Rule-making Activity under Executive Order 10-06