Proposed WA Bill Would Require Sale of Drink “Spike” Test Kits

A Senate bill will be getting a hearing this week, and the idea for the bill came from a group of persons who are still several years away from being legally able to drink.

  Lake WA HS students push for bar drink 'test' kits

According to The WA State Standard, and legislative sources, SB (Senate Bill 5330, which if passed would go into effect January 1st of 2026, would require certain establishments that serve alcohol to have for sale test strip kits. The idea first began with a group of students at Lake Washington HS on the west side.

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The strips would allow patrons to see if their drink has been spiked, or tainted with drugs.

The most common drug found in alcohol (spiked) is known as the "roofie," or Rohypnol.  A similar bill went into effect in CA, at about 2,400 establishments.

The bill was significantly amended after pushback from several WA hospitality and business organizations. The law also says businesses required to have the strips would have to post publicly that they are available.

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Bars would be on the hook financially for having to provide them, and the law says they could be sold for a reasonable "wholesale-based" price.

Leaders with Washington states' hospitality association(s) says the bill still needs a lot of conversations.  The CA law also says their signs must include the wording "Don't get roofed!" while mentioning test strips are available at the venue.

But the bill's primary sponsor, Senator Manka Dhingra believes that kind of language blames the 'victim' in these incidents. The latest version of the bill doesn't specify what language must be used in the signs posted in the business.