WA HB2276

Requires the Department of Social and Health Services to determine a home care agency labor rate within 60 days after each odd-numbered year legislative session by converting negotiated wages and benefits for individual home care providers into a per-quarter-hour amount

Mandates that home care agency labor rate funds be used exclusively for direct care worker wages, benefits (vacation, sick, holiday pay), mileage, training partnership contributions, health benefit trust contributions, and retirement trust contributions

Establishes compliance verification requirements where home care agencies must submit either an independent third-party audit or written attestation from the workers' exclusive bargaining representative confirming proper use of labor rate funds

Creates a rate-setting board process for determining consumer directed employer and home care agency administrative rates, with the administrative rate capped at no more than 20 percent of the total vendor rate

Extends the deadline for rate-setting board agreement from July 1st to August 1st, with labor rate disputes unresolved by September 1st to be decided solely by the board's chair member