The Washington state Senate has unanimously approved Senate Bill 5977, sponsored by Sen. Nikki Torres, a Republican from the 15th Legislative District.
The legislation would require the public release of child near-fatality review reports conducted by the Washington state Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), according to a news release from Torres.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously, 47–0, and now heads to the House of Representatives for further review.
“When a child nearly loses their life, the state has an obligation to be transparent about what happened and what we can learn from it,” Torres said. “These cases are critical warning signs, and we should be examining them openly so we can prevent future tragedies.”
Under SB 5977, DCYF would be required to issue a written report following a child near-fatality review and to publish it on the same public webpage used for child fatality review reports. The bill would also establish a clear timeline, requiring reports to be completed within 180 days of the near fatality, unless the governor grants an extension and distributes them to the appropriate committees of the Legislature, the release stated.
Current law requires child fatality review reports to be made public, but does not require consistent publication of near-fatality reviews, even though those cases often involve children in critical or life-threatening conditions.
“Near fatalities often show us where the system broke down before a child died,” Torres said. “By making these reviews public, we give lawmakers, agencies and communities the information needed to strengthen policies, improve oversight and better protect children.”
The legislation preserves existing confidentiality protections and does not change how review materials may be used in civil or administrative proceedings, according to the release. Identifying and sensitive information would continue to be redacted in accordance with state and federal law.
SB 5977 would take effect 90 days after the legislative session adjourns if approved by the Legislature and signed into law.
The 60-day 2026 legislative session began Monday, Jan. 12, and will conclude March 12.
