Here is a summary of the process a bill goes through to become a law in Washington State:

• Lobbyists and citizens approach a legislator(s) with a problem or bill language already created. 
• If a legislator(s) in either the House or Senate supports the bill, the language is formalized into bill language, they file it and the bill receives a number.
• The bill is read into the chamber it is introduced in (House or Senate) and then assigned to a committee. Most, but not all healthcare bills are assigned to either the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness or the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care. 
• If the bill will affect the state government’s budget, then it also must be assigned to a fiscal committee for review as well. 
• If it has enough support, a public hearing may be held in which anyone can show their support for or against a bill, both written and public testimony is heard. 
• There are two sets of reviews, if the bill receives enough support it is eventually voted out of committee to the full floor of the house (House or Senate) it is in.
• Once a bill makes it to the full floor of the House or Senate there are a series of debates and readings in which a bill may be amended or continue unchanged. 
• If it is approved on the floor, then the bill is moved to the other house (the House sends the bill to the Senate, or the Senate sends the bill to the House). 
• The bill then goes through a similar process in the other house. However, sometimes companion bills are co-introduced in both houses at roughly the same time and both work their way through their respective houses at the same time. 
• If both the House and the Senate approve the bill, then it goes to the Governor for approval and signature. 
• There are specific deadlines which bills must meet, or the bill “dies” and does not move forward. 

For a more detailed process you can visit the Legislature’s website at: https://leg.wa.gov/learn-and-participate/how-a-bill-becomes-a-law/

For the state legislature’s calendar click this link for deadline dates: https://leg.wa.gov/bills-meetings-and-session/session/