WA HB1398

Amends RCW 41.56.465 to add new mandatory factors for interest arbitration panels when determining wages, hours, and employment conditions for adult family home providers listed in RCW 41.56.029

Requires arbitration panels to compare wages and conditions of adult family home providers with publicly reimbursed personnel serving similar elderly, frail, or developmentally disabled clients both in Washington and nationally

Mandates comparison of wages and conditions for direct care providers working in adult family homes with workers providing similar services to similar client populations

Requires panels to compare wages of adult family home providers with wages of direct care providers who work for those same adult family home providers

Permits panels to optionally consider the state's interest in workforce stability, affordable quality health care access, and reducing reliance on public benefit programs like food stamps and subsidized housing