Washington SB 5330 is not law as of September 8, 2026. The official bill history records no passage or enactment. Its proposed drink test kit requirements have therefore not taken effect under this bill.
The Senate committee report identifies Senator Manka Dhingra as the prime sponsor and records testimony in support from Lake Washington High School students. It describes a proposal to improve access to testing devices at specified licensed premises. It does not establish the performance of any particular product.
Where SB 5330 Stands
The Legislature’s history records these steps:
| Date | Recorded action |
|---|---|
| January 17, 2025 | Introduced and referred to Labor & Commerce |
| February 14, 2025 | Committee recommended a first substitute |
| February 19, 2025 | Placed on second reading by the Rules Committee |
| March 17, 2025 | Placed in the Senate Rules “X” file |
| January 12, 2026 | Reintroduced by resolution and retained in its existing status |
The January 1, 2026 date printed in the substitute is a proposed effective date. A date in an unpassed bill does not make its provisions operative. The history checked for this update contains no later enactment.
What the First Substitute Would Require
The first substitute text covers holders of tavern, nightclub, hotel and sports entertainment facility licenses. Its obligations concern service areas designated off-limits to people under 21, with drink preparation and storage areas excluded.
Within that scope, the proposal would require licensees to:
- Offer drug testing devices for sale, while permitting free provision.
- Limit charges to a reasonable amount based on the device’s wholesale cost.
- Keep devices within their labelled or manufacturer-recommended expiry or period of use.
- Display a prominent, customer-visible notice that kits are available for sale.
The device definition requires detection of at least one controlled substance. The text names several example substances within its controlled-substance definition; that list does not require a device to detect all of them. The committee report confirms this minimum and the four license categories.
The substitute also contains a proposed protection concerning defective tests or inaccurate results. It is not an enacted protection or a general assurance about a venue’s liability.
What This Means for Venues and Patrons
SB 5330 currently creates no kit obligation. This article does not determine every other rule that may apply to a particular venue. Operators should check the current official record and their own licensing circumstances before making compliance decisions.
No product’s suitability can be established merely because it is marketed as a drink test. Our evidence and limitations page summarizes DrinkCheck’s lab validation and explains what a drink test cannot tell you; this article does not confirm DrinkCheck’s eligibility under the proposed standard.
Drink testing does not replace medical assistance. If someone needs urgent help, call 911 without waiting for a drink test.
Venues that offer drink testing voluntarily, independent of SB 5330, can request a quote for drink test strips for bars and venues.
For related legislation, see our selected state and city drink-testing measures. Our drink spiking laws tracker keeps a dated status of SB 5330 and other selected US measures, each with its official source and check date.
Correction history: The June 13, 2026 correction withdrew an earlier claim that SB 5330 was in force from January 1, 2026 and removed an unverified quotation attributed to Senator Dhingra. This September 8 update also corrects the substitute’s license categories and one-substance minimum, removes unsupported product claims, and limits statements about current obligations to SB 5330 itself.
Status and sources checked: September 8, 2026. This is an informational account of a legislative proposal, not a professional legal review or product approval.
