Affected and Interested Parties
Owners and employees of businesses that operate a temporary worker housing facility and other interested parties.
What’s Happening?
The Department of Health (department) is considering amending fees for all programs within the Office of Environmental Health and Safety which includes Temporary Worker Housing fees to cover the costs of the programs and account for the General Fund State (GFS) and foundational public health services (FPHS) funding reductions and the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) made in the 2025-2027 state budget (ESSB 5167). Learn more about the proposed rulemaking to amend fees.
Why?
The department conducted an initial assessment of the program and determined the current fee is not generating sufficient revenue to cover the program’s costs. RCW 43.70.335 and RCW 43.70.340 require temporary worker housing owners and operators to have an annual operating license and pay a fee. The department is required to charge a fee for each operating license issued to owners or operators of temporary worker housing facilities regulated by the department. The fees must cover the cost of administering a license and enforcing the program.
For More Information
Zehra Siddiqui, Rules Coordinator
Juan Gamez Briceno, Program Manager