Logan Dozier — Named as part of the next in-person panel to be invited forward.
Logan Dozier — Logan Dozier, speaking for the Washington Hospitality Association, opposed Senate Bill 5981. He explained that hospitality businesses operate on thin margins and face rising health care costs, and argued that the 340B program increases claims costs for employers and working families by shifting prescription drug expenses through the health care system. He concluded by asking for transparency and expressing a willingness to continue working with the committee.
Sheila Bershauer — CEO of Moses Lake Community Health Center; testified in support of SB 5981 and described how 340B savings are reinvested in patient services.
Ryan Schuffelmeyer — Co-owner of Whole Health Pharmacy in Ellensburg; testified in support of Senate Bill 5981.
Dorothy Challenger — Dorothy Challenger is identified as a remote testifier to be invited next, with a later mention reiterating her name as part of the same invitation sequence.
Dorothy Challenger — Dorothy Challenger, a SEIU 1199 dental assistant at Community Health Care in Tacoma, testified that workers and patients at FQHCs are facing serious financial instability due to federal cuts. She explained that programs like 340B help provide financial support that can be reinvested into staffing, providers, and patient care, and said the program was intended to ensure patients get needed prescriptions and resources. She closed by urging support for the bill, emphasizing that vulnerable patients need care now more than ever.
Laura Baudray — Named as one of the next remote testifiers to be invited up.
Steve Kurtz — Named as one of the next remote testifiers to be invited up.
Chris Gildon — The transcript appears to misrecognize 'Senator Harris' as a reference to Senator Chris Gildon? This is uncertain; the speaker is likely Senator Paul Harris, who is in the member list.
Corbin — Named as one of the next in-person panel invitees.
Santo — Named as one of the next in-person panel invitees; full name unclear.
Patrick Connor — Named as one of the next in-person panel invitees.
Patrick Connor — Patrick Connor, speaking for NFIB and Washington’s small business owners, testified that the 340B debate is largely a fight between big hospitals and big pharma, while small businesses end up bearing the cost through higher rates and reduced ability to offer insurance. He argued the bill would effectively shut down further scrutiny of 340B funding questions and give large hospital chains broad contracting access. He also criticized PBMs for using 340B status to obtain drugs at very low cost and then charging patients full price. He concluded by offering to answer questions or discuss his personal experience with the program offline.
Eric Lones — Named as one of the next in-person panel invitees.
Laura Boudreau — Laura Boudreau joined remotely, confirmed her audio/video was working, and then testified as Chief of Operations for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. She explained that AHF works with HIV patients and safety-net 340B providers through counseling, resources, care coordination, and case conferencing. She argued that SB 5981 would severely hurt safety-net providers and their patients by disrupting contract pharmacy revenue that helps covered entities fund services, concluding that this revenue support is what the 340B program is intended to do.
Stephen Kutz — Stephen Kutz, a Kalispel Tribal Council member and chair of the American Health Commission, testified in support of the bill and emphasized that the 340B program is essential to tribal and Indian health operations. He argued that 340B revenues are reinvested in patient care, criticized rebates as hidden and misleading, and urged that the program remain in place in Washington to protect access to medication for low-income people.
Joseph Finley — Announced as a forthcoming remote testifier.
Joseph Finley — Joseph Finley testified on behalf of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, identifying himself as an elected official and pharmacist. He spoke in support of Senate Bill 5981, explaining that 340B is essential financing for tribal health care and emphasizing that manufacturers should not be able to use rebate models or distribution controls to extract data beyond what federal law requires, underscoring tribal sovereignty and federal authority.
Adam Zarin — Announced as a forthcoming remote testifier.
Eric Lohnis — Eric Lohnis, speaking on behalf of Pharma in opposition to SB 5981, answered follow-up questions about the 340B program’s growth, including the expansion of contract pharmacies and the program’s overall scale in billions of dollars.
Corbin Santo — Corbin Santo is introduced and then testifies on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine in opposition to SB 5981, while expressing support for the 340B program.
June Robinson — Questioned how SB 5981 would undercut Congress's ability to act on 340B.
Mr. Finley — Asked to wrap up his remarks.
Adam Zeran — Noted as having dropped off and no longer participating.
Ann Murray — Ann Murray was called forward to testify and identified herself as representing Bristol-Myers Squibb, a research-based pharmaceutical company focused on medicines for serious diseases. She then described the company’s Washington-related support for advanced therapies and noted that in 2025 BMS provided more than $110 million in 340B discounts in Washington State, representing an increase of more than 25% over 2024.
Primo Castro — Introduced himself as representing Biotechnology Innovation Organization and opposing SB 5981.
Emily Whitman — Testified in opposition on behalf of the Association of Washington Business.
Shailene Whitaker — Called forward as a final testifier.
Calvin Pugh — Named as a remote final testifier.
Mary Fischito — Named as a remote final testifier.
Sherry Bagelman — Named as a remote final testifier.
Shaline Whitaker — Testified in support of SB 5981 on behalf of the Hospital Association.
SB5904 — The committee opens the public hearing on Senate Bill 5904, which concerns the use of nursing titles. Staff then explains that the bill addresses current law on nursing titles and would clarify that only human persons may hold nursing titles, prohibiting non-human entities from using them.
SB5904 — The chair confirms the witness is testifying on Senate Bill 5904, not the House bill she initially named.
Jacob Ewing — Committee staff provides the briefing on SB 5904.
Jacob Ewing — Jacob Ewing is introduced as committee staff and then identifies himself while briefing the committee on Senate Bill 5933.
Jacob Ewing — Committee staff member who briefs the committee on the bill.
Jessica Bateman — The chair invites Senator Bateman to introduce the bill.
Jessica Bateman — Senator Bateman introduces the bill and explains its purpose as promoting transparency and confidence in health care amid AI growth.
Jessica Bateman — Senator Bateman explains the bill would require chatbot disclosure and protect the nursing profession.
Jessica Bateman — The chair thanks Senator Bateman after her introduction and asks for questions.
Jessica Bateman — The witness asks whether there are questions; the chair then recognizes Senator Slater, likely a transcription error for a member not in the expected list.
Jessica Bateman — The question references whether the bill is similar to Oregon's law; the response notes unanimous support there.
Justin Gill — Justin Gill is called to testify in person and then gives testimony in support of SB 5904. He identifies himself as president of the Washington State Nurses Association and an urgent care nurse practitioner in Everett. He explains that while AI has promise in health care, it also poses risks, including confusing patient-facing apps that use nursing-related branding. He argues that the nursing title should be protected so AI does not mislead patients or replace human nursing judgment.
Jessica Hoff — The vice chair calls Jessica Hoff to testify in person.
Dolores Prescott — Dolores Prescott is introduced and called to testify remotely, then provides testimony in support of House Bill 2155. She explains that she has been a registered nurse for 30 years and argues that AI has hard limits and cannot replace nursing, which requires human ethical judgment. She urges lawmakers to keep nursing a profession done by humans.
Jessica Hoffy — Jessica Hoffy, Director of Government Affairs for the Washington State Nurses Association, testifies in support of SB 5904. She explains that WSNA is concerned about the rapid growth of AI in health care and supports the bill as a way to add guardrails and transparency. She adds that protecting the title of nurse would not block innovation and frames the bill as an important step toward broader safeguards.
Travis Nelson — Identified as the Oregon nurse legislator who pioneered the similar approach.
HB2155 — Referenced by the witness as the bill she intended to support; likely a misstatement because the hearing is on Senate Bill 5904.
SB5915 — The committee opens the hearing on Senate Bill 5915, hears testimony in strong support of the bill, including a request that it be passed to better account for rare and life-threatening diseases in the review process, and then closes the hearing after testimony concludes.