OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – As the 2026 legislative session wraps in Washington, the governor has signed the first bills into law on Monday, March 9.

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the first three bills into law on Monday afternoon.

The first bill came in response to changing policies around vaccine recommendations at the federal level.

“The bill that I requested alongside with Insurance Commissioner [Patty] Kuderer gives Washington state decision-making authority on what vaccines to recommend, moving that authority away from the chaos of the federal government’s politicized vaccine recommendations and placing them under [Washington’s] control,” the governor said during the bill signing.

“It allows us here in Washington state to focus our recommendations based on science and medical expertise,” he added.

The law, going into effect in April, will provide authority to the state’s Insurance Commission to issue recommendations on vaccinations and require insurance companies to cover the inoculations.

HB 2492 signed into law requires apprenticeships in construction and building trades to provide behavioral health training.

HB 2355 provides a series of worker protections for domestic employees such as housekeepers, gardeners and babysitters.

Changes include minimum wage requirements and creating contractual agreements as part of a “bill of rights” for these workers.

Both 2492 and 2355 go into effect in July 2027.