AN ACT Relating to enforcement of traffic laws and regulations without warrants; amending RCW 46.63.030; and reenacting and amending RCW 10.31.100.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 1, chapter 198, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 3, chapter 267, Laws of 1985 and by section 9, chapter 303, Laws of 1985 and RCW 10.31.100 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

A police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a felony shall have the authority to arrest the person without a warrant. A police officer may arrest a person without a warrant for committing a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor only when the offense is committed in the presence of the officer, except as provided in subsections (1) through ((~~(5)~~)) (8) of this section.

(1) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, involving physical harm or threats of harm to any person or property or the unlawful taking of property or involving the use or possession of cannabis shall have the authority to arrest the person.

(2) A police officer shall arrest and take into custody, pending release on bail, personal recognizance, or court order, a person without a warrant when the officer has probable cause to believe that:

(a) An order has been issued of which the person has knowledge under RCW 10.99.040(2), 10.99.050, 26.09.060, chapter 26.26 RCW, or chapter 26.50 RCW restraining the person and the person has violated the terms of the order restraining the person from acts or threats of violence or excluding the person from a residence; or

(b) The person is eighteen years or older and within the preceding four hours has assaulted that person's spouse, former spouse, or a person eighteen years or older with whom the person resides or has formerly resided and the officer believes: (i) A felonious assault has occurred; (ii) an assault has occurred which has resulted in bodily injury to the victim, whether the injury is observable by the responding officer or not; or (iii) that any physical action has occurred which was intended to cause another person reasonably to fear imminent serious bodily injury or death. Bodily injury means physical pain, illness, or an impairment of physical condition. When the officer has probable cause to believe that spouses, former spouses, or other persons who reside together or formerly resided together have assaulted each other, the officer is not required to arrest both persons. The officer shall arrest the person whom the officer believes to be the primary physical aggressor. In making this determination, the officer shall make every reasonable effort to consider: (i) The intent to protect victims of domestic violence under RCW 10.99.010; (ii) the comparative extent of injuries inflicted or serious threats creating fear of physical injury; and (iii) the history of domestic violence between the persons involved.

(3) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a violation of any of the following traffic laws shall have the authority to arrest the person:

(a) RCW 46.52.010, relating to duty on striking an unattended car or other property;

(b) RCW 46.52.020, relating to duty in case of injury to or death of a person or damage to an attended vehicle;

(d) RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, relating to persons under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs;

(e) RCW 46.20.342, relating to driving a motor vehicle while operator's license is suspended or revoked;

(f) RCW 46.61.525, relating to operating a motor vehicle in a negligent manner.

(4) A law enforcement officer investigating at the scene of a motor vehicle accident may arrest the driver of a motor vehicle involved in the accident if the officer has probable cause to believe that the driver has committed in connection with the accident a violation of any traffic law or regulation.

(5) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a violation of RCW 88.02.095 shall have the authority to arrest the person.

(6) An officer may act upon the request of a law enforcement officer in whose presence a traffic infraction was committed, to stop, detain, arrest, or issue a notice of traffic infraction to the driver who is believed to have committed the infraction. The request by the witnessing officer shall give an officer the authority to take appropriate action under the laws of the state of Washington.

(7) Except as specifically provided in subsections (2), (3), ((~~and~~)) (4), and (6) of this section, nothing in this section extends or otherwise affects the powers of arrest prescribed in Title 46 RCW.

((~~(7)~~)) (8) No police officer may be held criminally or civilly liable for making an arrest pursuant to RCW 10.31.100(2) if the police officer acts in good faith and without malice.

Sec. 2. Section 3, chapter 136, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. as amended by section 10, chapter 128, Laws of 1980 and RCW 46.63.030 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A law enforcement officer has the authority to issue a notice of traffic infraction:

(a) When the infraction is committed in the officer's presence ((or));

(b) When the officer is acting upon the request of a law enforcement officer in whose presence the traffic infraction was committed; or

(c) If an officer investigating at the scene of a motor vehicle accident has reasonable cause to believe that the driver of a motor vehicle involved in the accident has committed a traffic infraction.

(2) A court may issue a notice of traffic infraction upon receipt of a written statement of the officer that there is reasonable cause to believe that an infraction was committed.

(3) If any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked, standing, or stopped in violation of this title or an equivalent administrative regulation or local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution, the officer finding the vehicle shall take its registration number and may take any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user, and shall conspicuously affix to the vehicle a notice of traffic infraction.