(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, health districts consisting of two or more counties may be created whenever two or more boards of county commissioners shall by resolution establish a district for such purpose. Such a district shall consist of all the area of the combined counties. The district board of health of such a district shall consist of not less than five members for districts of two counties and seven members for districts of more than two counties, including two representatives from each county who are members of the board of county commissioners and who are appointed by the board of county commissioners of each county within the district, and members selected under (a) and (e) of this subsection, and shall have a jurisdiction coextensive with the combined boundaries.
(a) The remaining board members must be persons who are not elected officials and must be selected from the following categories consistent with the requirements of this section and the rules adopted by the state board of health under RCW 43.20.300 :
(i) Public health, health care facilities, and providers. This category consists of persons practicing or employed in the health district who are:
(A) Medical ethicists;
(B) Epidemiologists;
(C) Experienced in environmental public health, such as a registered sanitarian;
(D) Community health workers;
(E) Holders of master's degrees or higher in public health or the equivalent;
(F) Employees of a hospital located in the health district; or
(G) Any of the following providers holding an active or retired license in good standing under Title 18 RCW:
(I) Physicians or osteopathic physicians;
(II) Advanced practice registered nurses;
(III) Physician assistants or osteopathic physician assistants;
(IV) Registered nurses;
(V) Dentists;
(VI) Naturopaths; or
(VII) Pharmacists;
(ii) Consumers of public health. This category consists of health district residents who have self-identified as having faced significant health inequities or as having lived experiences with public health-related programs such as: The special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children; the supplemental nutrition program; home visiting; or treatment services. It is strongly encouraged that individuals from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities are given preference. These individuals may not be elected officials, and may not have any fiduciary obligation to a health facility or other health agency, and may not have a material financial interest in the rendering of health services; and
(iii) Other community stakeholders. This category consists of persons representing the following types of organizations located in the health district:
(A) Community-based organizations or nonprofits that work with populations experiencing health inequities in the health district;
(B) Active, reserve, or retired armed services members;
(C) The business community; or
(D) The environmental public health regulated community.
(b) The board members selected under (a) of this subsection must be approved by a majority vote of the board of county commissioners.
(c) If the number of board members selected under (a) of this subsection is evenly divisible by three, there must be an equal number of members selected from each of the three categories. If there are one or two members over the nearest multiple of three, those members may be selected from any of the three categories. However, if the board of health demonstrates that it attempted to recruit members from all three categories and was unable to do so, the board may select members only from the other two categories.
(d) There may be no more than one member selected under (a) of this subsection from one type of background or position.
(e) If a federally recognized Indian tribe holds reservation or trust lands within the health district, or if an urban Indian organization recognized by the Indian health service and registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in Washington that serves American Indian and Alaska Native people provides services within the health district, the board of health must allow a tribal representative from each tribe and each organization, as selected by such tribe or organization, to serve as a member and must notify the American Indian health commission.
(f) The boards of county commissioners may by resolution or ordinance provide for elected officials from cities and towns and persons other than elected officials as members of the district board of health so long as the city and county elected officials do not constitute a majority of the total membership of the board.
(g) Except as provided in (a) and (e) of this subsection, a resolution or ordinance adopted under this section must specify the provisions for the appointment, term, and compensation, or reimbursement of expenses.
(h) At the first meeting of a district board of health the members shall elect a chair to serve for a period of one year.
(i) The jurisdiction of the local board of health shall be coextensive with the boundaries of the county.
(j) The local health officer, as described in RCW 70.05.050 , shall be appointed by the official designated under the provisions of the county charter. The same official designated under the provisions of the county charter may appoint an administrative officer, as described in RCW 70.05.045 .
(k) The number of members selected or included under (a) and (e) of this subsection must equal the number of city and county elected officials on the board of health. If a member is added under (e) of this subsection, the boards of county commissioners shall modify the membership of the district:
(i) In compliance with timelines established by the state board of health in rule once such rules are in effect; and
(ii) Until the rules in (k)(i) of this subsection are in effect, within 60 days of receipt of notice of the selection of a tribal representative.
(l) Any decision by the board of health related to the setting or modification of permit, licensing, and application fees may only be determined by the city and county elected officials on the board.
(2) A local board of health comprised solely of elected officials may retain this composition if the local health jurisdiction had a public health advisory committee or board with its own bylaws established on January 1, 2021. By January 1, 2022, the public health advisory committee or board must meet the requirements established in RCW 70.46.140 for community health advisory boards. Any future changes to local board of health composition must meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
(3) A local board of health comprised solely of elected officials and made up of three counties east of the Cascade mountains may retain their current composition if the local health jurisdiction has a public health advisory committee or board that meets the requirements established in RCW 70.46.140 for community health advisory boards by July 1, 2022. If such a local board of health does not establish the required community health advisory board by July 1, 2022, it must comply with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section. Any future changes to local board of health composition must meet the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
Rule making — 2025 c 260: See note following RCW 70.05.030 .
Effective date — 2021 c 205 ss 3-6: See note following RCW 70.05.030 .
Finding — 2021 c 205: See note following RCW 43.70.675 .
Effective dates — Contingent effective dates — 1995 c 43: See note following RCW 70.05.030 .
Severability — 1995 c 43: See note following RCW 43.70.570 .
Findings — Intent — 1993 c 492: See notes following RCW 43.20.050 .
Short title — Savings — Reservation of legislative power — Effective dates — 1993 c 492: See RCW 43.72.910 through 43.72.915 .
Severability — 1967 ex.s. c 51: See note following RCW 70.05.010 .