The Washington State House Local Government Committee reopened a public hearing on House Bill 1684 to consider updates to state law that create the category “aquatic facilities,” extend safety and health standards to therapy pools, and give the State Board of Health authority to adopt rules affecting certain residential pools rented to nonresidents.

The bill’s supporters, including witnesses from the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Board of Health, said the measure updates an out-of-date statute and aligns state practice with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s model aquatic health code. “This bill updates our state statute with federal guidance via the model aquatic code from the CDC,” Joe Laxon, policy director for environmental health at the Washington Department of Health, told the committee. Laxon said the agency requests the bill and that it reflects a compromise reached after community workshops.

The Board of Health’s executive director, Michelle Davis, told the committee HB 1684 would reduce drowning risk by adopting best practices for aquatic venues. “Drowning is the leading cause nationwide among children ages 1 to 4,” Davis said. She said the bill would extend minimum health and safety requirements to therapy pools and allow the board to adopt targeted rules for pools at short-term rental properties.

What the bill would change
HB 1684 would modify definitions and regulatory language for existing water recreation statutes. Testimony summarized these elements:
- The statute would add the term aquatic facilities and establish aquatic venues as artificially constructed structures where the public is exposed to water for recreation or therapy, including swimming pools, spa pools, tubs (hot, cold or mineral), water slides, float tanks and cold plunges.
- Aquatic facilities would be required to carry liability coverage (testimony cited a $100,000 minimum or equivalent liability coverage).
- Sellers of aquatic venues would be required to provide purchasers operating instructions for safe use.
- The bill creates the category of residential aquatic facilities: aquatic facilities at a single-family dwelling that are used by renters or paying guests other than the resident and invited guests. Those residential aquatic facilities would be exempt from preconstruction design review, routine inspections, permitting, and fee requirements, although the State Board of Health may adopt minimum health and safety rules for them focused on drowning prevention, injury and recreational water illness.

Committee questions and answers
Committee members pressed staff and agency witnesses about how the bill would apply to therapeutic tubs, inflatable pools and pools made available through short-term rental platforms. Representative Stevie asked whether an inflatable pool would be covered; Michelle Davis said the intent is to cover recirculating therapeutic pools with filtration and turnover, not single-use inflatable pools that are drained after use. On short-term rentals, Davis described possible minimal standards the board could adopt through rulemaking, such as lifesaving equipment, signage listing the property address and emergency contact information, and access to restrooms.

Industry and platform opposition
A coalition of industry witnesses testified in opposition or expressed concern about the bill’s scope and process.
- Nick Strule, representing the Washington Realtors, said the legislation would “significantly expand authority to regulate single-family homes” through a broad invited-guest definition and criticized the lack of an earlier stakeholder process.
- Samantha Louderback, of the Washington Hospitality Association, said Section 5 could trigger permits and expensive upgrades when an owner modifies a facility, requiring owners to bring pools up to current code even for minor changes. She also urged parity for hotels and private clubs that already operate under Department of Health rules.
- Cameron Kilberg, head of legal for Swimply, said the bill’s definition could turn “every residential home in the state with a pool or hot tub public in many everyday circumstances” and criticized what he said was a lack of Washington-specific data justifying the change. Kilberg also said the CDC model aquatic code does not treat residential pools as commercial aquatic venues.
- TechNet and the Association of Washington Business urged a pause for more stakeholder work, saying residential hosts and small businesses could face burdensome costs and unclear rules.

What the record shows and next steps
Committee staff opened and closed the public hearing on HB 1684 during the session; no committee vote on HB 1684 was recorded in the transcript. Staff told the committee they will brief other bills (HB 1562 and HB 1600) before returning to executive action. Supporters framed the bill as a public-health update intended to reduce drowning and illness; opponents said the bill’s language and delegated rulemaking authority are too broad and asked for additional stakeholder engagement.

Ending
The Committee closed the public hearing on HB 1684 after testimony and questions. The committee did not vote on HB 1684 during the session captured in the transcript; staff indicated further briefings and a short caucus before additional action on other bills.