OLYMPIA — A bill to require behavioral health and wellness training in state-registered construction apprenticeship programs was heard Monday in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee.
Senate Bill 6282, sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), would require building and construction trade apprenticeship programs to provide behavioral health and wellness training for apprentices, including instruction on recognizing signs of distress, suicide prevention, substance use awareness, reducing stigma, peer support, and connecting workers to resources.
The training would be incorporated into apprenticeship standards and designed to support worker safety, well-being, and long-term workforce resilience across the trades.
“Apprenticeships prepare workers with the technical skills they need to succeed on the job,” Nobles said. “This bill recognizes that mental and behavioral health are also safety issues. Giving apprentices the tools to recognize distress and support one another can save lives and strengthen the workforce.”
Under the bill, the required training hours would be in addition to existing instructional requirements and would apply to new or updated program standards beginning in 2027.
Follow its progress here.