by
<a href="mailto:sharons@awcnet.org">Sharon Swanson</a>, <a href="mailto:shannonm@awcnet.org">Shannon McClelland</a> | Mar 11, 2019
The Senate’s version of the wrongful death expansion bill, <a target="_blank" href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5163&Initiative=false&Year=2019"><strong>SB 5163</strong></a>, passed out of the Senate on a vote of 30 to 17.
The Senate’s version of the wrongful death expansion bill, SB 5163, passed out of the Senate on a vote of 30 to 17.
SB 5163 would significantly expand city tort liability associated with wrongful death claims. The bill amends the current wrongful death statutes in a few important ways:
- Removing dependency requirements for claimants;
- Allows parents to bring an action for adult children over age 18, when that child is unmarried and has no children;
- Expands noneconomic damages to include the decedent’s pain and suffering, anxiety, emotional distress, or humiliation; and
- Applies retroactively to all claims that are not time barred, as well as any claims pending in any court on the effective day of the act.
A consultant recently completed an analysis of SB 5163 on the anticipated cost impacts to local governments. The report anticipates a 55% increase in claims, with a total additional cost of $7.5 million.
Please reach out to your legislators to express your concerns.