HB 1423 authorizes cities in Washington State with populations of at least 2,000 to participate in a pilot program using automated vehicle noise enforcement cameras. These cameras would be deployed in designated "vehicle-racing camera enforcement zones" to detect vehicles exceeding maximum permissible sound levels. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission is tasked with overseeing this program and reporting on its implementation and findings to the legislature by January 2028. The section establishing this pilot program is set to expire in July 2028.
SB 5801 amends Washington's fuel tax structure to generate revenue for transportation infrastructure. Starting July 1, 2025, it adds a 6-cent-per-gallon tax on regular fuel and a 3-cent tax on special fuel (with an additional 3-cent tax on special fuel beginning July 1, 2027). The bill also mandates annual 2% increases to regular fuel tax rates starting July 1, 2026, and to special fuel rates starting July 1, 2028. These changes directly affect fuel licensees (businesses selling fuel) and will increase costs for consumers purchasing gasoline or special fuels. The legislation repeals outdated tax provisions and establishes new funding mechanisms to support state transportation system development.
House Bill 2077 establishes a new tax on certain vehicle manufacturers. This tax applies to profits generated from surplus zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) credits, which are earned when a manufacturer exceeds the state's ZEV sales requirements. The bill requires the Department of Ecology to share manufacturers' ZEV credit activity with the Department of Revenue, and manufacturers must report the prices of ZEV credit transactions. The collected tax revenue is intended to be reinvested into programs that further promote cleaner vehicles.
HB 2061 establishes a new concession fee for duty-free sales enterprises operating within Washington state. These businesses will pay a fee equal to 0.10 (10%) of their gross proceeds from merchandise sales. The revenue collected from this fee will be split, with half directed to the statewide tourism marketing account and the other half deposited into a new sustainable aviation fuel account. The sustainable aviation fuel account is designated to support research, development, and infrastructure for sustainable aviation fuel.
HB 1958 authorizes Washington State to issue up to $2.5 billion in bonds to fund the design, construction, and replacement of the aging I-5 bridge across the Columbia River, in partnership with Oregon. The bonds would be repaid solely from toll revenue collected on the bridge and specific excise taxes on fuel and vehicle-related fees, not general state funds. The bill establishes that tolls and these taxes must continue to cover bond payments, with the legislature pledging to maintain these revenue streams. It also requires legislative approval for bond issuance and specifies that proceeds can only be used for the bridge project, bond costs, or related financing. This law, effective July 2025, provides a dedicated financing mechanism for the bridge replacement without creating direct state debt.
HB 1837 establishes specific improvement priorities for the Amtrak Cascades intercity passenger rail service, aiming to enhance the state's transportation system. It mandates the Washington State Department of Transportation to work towards target goals by 2035, including increasing on-time performance to 88% and boosting daily round trips between Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The department must also improve multimodal connections at stations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the bill requires the department to report annually on its progress and directs the Joint Transportation Committee to conduct an independent review of the Amtrak Cascades service development plan.
HB 1878, titled "Improving young driver safety," enacts new requirements for young adults obtaining their initial driver's license in Washington. Beginning in 2027 and phasing in by age, individuals under 22 years old will be required to complete a driver training education course before receiving their license. The bill also mandates that initial license applicants under 25 years old pass an online course on driver work zone and first responder safety from 2026 to 2031. Furthermore, it requires initial license holders under 25 who commit two moving violations to complete a safe driving course, with license suspension as a consequence for not doing so.
House Bill 1774 allows the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to consider social, environmental, or economic benefits when determining lease terms for unused highway land. This applies when WSDOT leases property to public agencies, tribes, historical societies, or community-based nonprofit organizations for specific "community purposes." These purposes include providing housing, shelter programs, parks, public recreation, salmon habitat restoration, or public transportation uses. The bill outlines factors for WSDOT to evaluate such lease agreements and requires lessees to maintain the property and use it solely for the designated community purpose. WSDOT must also provide annual reports to the legislature on these active lease agreements.
House Bill 1409 modifies Washington's clean fuels program, directing the Department of Ecology to establish rules that reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. It assigns compliance obligations to fuel providers whose products exceed carbon intensity standards and awards credits to those whose fuels are below standards, allowing these credits to be traded. The bill sets a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels to 55 percent below 2017 levels by no earlier than January 1, 2038, following a specified annual reduction schedule. It also outlines penalties for non-compliance with reporting and credit requirements, while exempting exported fuels.
Senate Bill 5595 allows local authorities to designate certain nonarterial highways as "shared streets," which are areas where pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles share the roadway. On these designated streets, vehicular traffic must yield to pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility devices, and bicyclists/micromobility users must yield to pedestrians. The bill also permits local authorities to establish a maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour on shared streets without requiring an engineering study. Additionally, local authorities must publish annual reports on traffic accidents, speeding, and DUI violations occurring on these shared streets.
