Unpacking the 2026 Session: Pharmacist Scope of Practice

WSMA to work with pharmacists on appropriate scope of practice update

In recent legislative sessions, the Washington State Pharmacy Association has brought forward legislation to modify pharmacists’ scope of practice in Washington state. As part of these efforts, in 2025 the state Department of Health conducted a “sunrise review,” a process evaluating the safety and appropriateness of health profession scope expansion proposals. Working in concert with the physician community, WSMA’s advocacy has defeated these proposals in both the legislative and regulatory arenas to date.

In response to our concerns on varied legislative frameworks that would have authorized broad independent diagnostic and prescriptive authority for pharmacists (SB 6019 from 2024; SB 5513 from 2025; and SB 5924 from 2026), the WSPA significantly narrowed its proposal during the 2026 session with a substitute version of the bill. However, the WSMA maintained concerns with the narrowed approach regarding patient safety, care coordination, technology, and professional standards, among other issues.

Despite WSMA’s opposition, legislation expanding pharmacists’ scope passed the state Senate for the first time with bipartisan support as legislators cited challenges around health care workforce shortages and patients’ access to care. Ultimately, the WSMA was able to defeat this proposal during the 2026 session, but considerable momentum remains on this issue at the state Legislature.

In advance of the 2027 session, legislative leaders— including a pharmacist legislator in both the House and Senate—have urged the WSMA to work with pharmacists on a compromise using the amended, narrowed version of the bill as a starting point. The WSMA respects its pharmacist colleagues and will work in good faith to try to find agreement on revisions to pharmacists’ scope of practice that will appropriately expand access to care while ensuring patient safety guardrails. We will keep you updated in future Advocacy Reports with any developments on these discussions.