In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed a new law that grants parents of adult children killed by preventable negligence legal rights under the law.

Under the new law (Senate Bill 5163), families are treated equally under the law by eliminating discrimination against parents of adult children who are unmarried and/or childless. The law also ensures parents residing outside of Washington have legal rights to hold responsible parties accountable for the wrongful death of an adult child wrongfully killed in Washington.

The new law brought Washington state in line with 47 other states that already provide legal remedies for parents of adult children killed by preventable negligence.