Radio Report: Abbarno, Schmick prefile legislation to fix shortcomings in the state’s long-term care payroll tax program

January 5, 2025

Two bills have been prefiled in the state House of Representatives to provide fairness and flexibility in Washington’s long-term care payroll tax program. John Sattgast reports.

SATTGAST: Under the WA Cares Fund, Washington workers who missed the opt-out window in 2022 must pay 0.58 (ZERO-POINT-FIVE-EIGHT) percent of their wages for a maximum long-term care benefit of 36-thousand-500 dollars.

Centralia Representative Peter Abbarno and Colfax Representative Joe Schmick have prefiled House Bill 1025 to reopen the opt-out window until November 2027. Here’s Abbarno:

ABBARNO: “Not only did people not understand how to opt out, but even the people who wanted to opt out often missed opportunities. So, they’re stuck in a program they tried to get out of but couldn’t.”

SATTGAST: The second measure, House Bill 1026, would allow workers to transfer their WA Cares benefits to a spouse not vested in the system who needs long-term care.

ABBARNO: “If we want stronger families and we want to make sure that both spouses have access to these type of long-term benefits, then they should be able to share it.”

SATTGAST: The 2025 session begins Monday, January 13th in Olympia.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.