H-4076.1
HOUSE BILL 2970
| | |
State of Washington | 65th Legislature | 2018 Regular Session |
By Representatives Hudgins, Morris, Kloba, and Muri
Read first time 01/31/18. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to the establishment of an autonomous vehicle work group; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The transportation commission must convene a work group to develop policy recommendations to address the operation of autonomous vehicles on public roadways in the state.
(1)(a) Membership of the work group must include, but is not limited to: The director of the department of licensing or his or her designee or designees, the secretary of the department of transportation or his or her designee or designees, the chief of the Washington state patrol or his or her designee or designees, and the director of the traffic safety commission or his or her designee or designees.
(b) Membership of the work group may also include: The insurance commissioner or his or her designee or designees, the assistant secretary of the department of social and health services aging and long-term support administration or his or her designee or designees, and the deputy director of the department of enterprise services who oversees fleet operations or his or her designee or designees.
(c) The transportation commission may invite additional participation on an ongoing, recurring, or one-time basis from individuals representing additional state agencies, local and regional governments, local law enforcement agencies, transit authorities, state colleges and universities, autonomous vehicle technology developers, motor vehicle manufacturers, and other relevant stakeholders as appropriate.
(2)(a) To prepare for the use of autonomous vehicle technology in the state, the work group must:
(i) Follow developments in autonomous vehicle technology, autonomous vehicle deployment, and federal and state policies that relate to the operation of autonomous vehicles, including the federal government's recommendations related to vehicle performance guidance for autonomous vehicles, model state policy, and current and possible federal regulatory tools for the regulation of autonomous vehicles; and
(ii) Explore approaches to the modification of state policy, rules, and laws to further public safety and prepare all state agencies for the emergence and deployment of autonomous vehicle technology. Areas for consideration may include, but are not limited to, manufacturer vehicle testing, vehicle registration and titling requirements, driver's license requirements, rules of the road, criminal law, roadway infrastructure, traffic management, transit, vehicle insurance, tort liability, cybersecurity, privacy, advertising, impacts to social services, and impacts to labor and small businesses.
(b) In exploring possible modifications to state policy, rules, and laws as required in (a)(ii) of this subsection, the work group must consider the transportation system policy goals established in RCW
47.04.280(1), which include the promotion of economic vitality, the preservation of transportation systems and services, provision for and improvement of the safety of transportation customers and the transportation system, the improved mobility of goods and people, the promotion of energy conservation, the enhancement of healthy communities, the protection of the environment, and stewardship through continuous improvement of the transportation system.
(3)(a) The transportation commission must develop and update recommendations annually based on the input provided by the work group that are consistent with the policy goals established in RCW
47.04.280(1). By December 18th of each year, the transportation commission must provide a report to the governor and the relevant committees of the legislature that describes the progress made by the work group and the transportation commission's recommendations.
(b) The recommendations made by the transportation commission may include proposed modifications to state law and rules to address the emergence and deployment of autonomous vehicle technology in the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Sections 1 and 3 of the act expire December 31, 2023.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The legislature finds that autonomous vehicle technology is rapidly evolving and that the testing and deployment of this technology is advancing at a rapid pace. Washington state's policies, laws, and rules predate autonomous vehicle technology and largely have not been developed in consideration of the operation of this technology on roadways in the state. At both the federal and state level, efforts are underway to begin to establish a framework of policy guidance, laws, and rules that will organize and govern the use of autonomous vehicle technology in the United States. The legislature finds that establishing an autonomous vehicle work group, to be convened by the transportation commission, will facilitate state efforts to address the emergence of autonomous vehicle technology. It is the intent of the legislature for the transportation commission to develop recommendations for policy, laws, and rules for the operation of autonomous vehicles, with input from the autonomous vehicle work group, that enable Washington state to address the public policy changes necessitated by the emergence of this technology in an informed, thorough, and deliberate manner. This effort is required because robot cars are coming, but robot policy makers are not.
--- END ---