License Holders Must Disclose Sexual Misconduct to Patients
Summary
Washington State's RCW 18.130.063 requires license holders who have been sanctioned for sexual misconduct on or after October 1, 2019, to disclose this to patients before or at their first appointment. Licensees must provide the public order or stipulation, describe all sanctions and their duration, include the disciplining authority's phone number, and explain how to access more information on the license lookup website. Patients or their surrogate decision makers must sign an acknowledgment of receipt, which must be kept in the patient's file.
What changed
This law establishes mandatory disclosure requirements for license holders in Washington State who have been sanctioned for sexual misconduct involving unprofessional conduct. The disclosure must be provided to patients at or prior to their first visit with the license holder following entry of the disciplinary order or stipulation. The required disclosure elements include a copy of the public order or stipulation, a complete description of all sanctions imposed, the duration of sanctions, the disciplining authority's contact information, and guidance on accessing the authority's online license verification system.
For healthcare providers and other licensed professionals subject to this requirement, compliance involves obtaining and maintaining signed patient acknowledgments in medical files. Disciplining authorities retain discretion to adopt rules exempting certain types of sexual misconduct from these requirements. The law does not apply to license holders under Chapter 18.92 RCW (veterinarians).
What to do next
- Provide patient with copy of the public order or stipulation before or at first visit following entry of order or stipulation
- Include description of all sanctions, duration, disciplining authority phone number, and explanation of how to find more information on license lookup website
- Obtain signed acknowledgment from patient or surrogate decision maker confirming receipt and awareness of sanctions
Archived snapshot
Apr 18, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Print RCWs > Title 18 > Chapter 18.130 > Section 18.130.063
18.130.062 <<
18.130.063 >> 18.130.064
PDF RCW 18.130.063
Disclosure — Sexual misconduct.
(1) If a license holder subject to this chapter has been sanctioned by a disciplining authority on or after October 1, 2019, for an act or acts of unprofessional conduct involving sexual misconduct, the license holder or his or her designee must provide a disclosure to any patient scheduled for an appointment with the license holder during the period of time that the license holder is subject to the order or stipulation. The disclosure must only be provided to a patient at or prior to the patient's first visit with the license holder following entry of the order or stipulation. (2) The disclosure must include a copy of the public order or stipulation, a description of all sanctions placed on the license holder by the disciplining authority in the order or stipulation, the duration of all sanctions, the disciplining authority's telephone number, and an explanation of how the patient can find more information about the license holder on the disciplining authority's online license information website. (3) The license holder must provide the patient or the patient's surrogate decision maker as designated under RCW 7.70.065 with the disclosure indicating that the patient has received a copy of the public order or stipulation and is aware the provider has been sanctioned for unprofessional conduct involving sexual misconduct, which must be signed by the patient or a surrogate decision maker. A copy of the signed disclosure must be maintained in the patient's file. (4) A disciplining authority may adopt rules to exempt certain types of sexual misconduct from the requirements of this section. (5) This section does not apply to license holders subject to chapter 18.92 RCW. (6) For purposes of this section: (a) "Order" means an order issued by a disciplining authority including, but not limited to, an agreed order, default order, final order, or a reinstatement order, but does not include a summary restriction order. (b) "Stipulation" means a stipulation to informal disposition. [2019 c 69 s 1.]
NOTES:
Effective date — 2019 c 69: "This act takes effect October 1, 2019." [2019 c 69 s 2.]
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