AN ACT Relating to a legislative task force on technology in transportation; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

(a) Changes in automotive information technology with respect to vehicular functions that assist the driver in operating the vehicle have advanced rapidly, with some in the industry predicting that fully automated vehicles will be ready in a matter of years, rather than decades;

(b) Consumer preferences regarding ancillary automotive information technological features and use of nonautomotive information technology while driving have also evolved quickly, spurred by developments in communications, navigation, and other information technological devices;

(c) Recent improvements to the economy have meant that Washington state residents are utilizing transportation modes more than ever, which, in turn, has contributed to ongoing challenges from traffic congestion around the state;

(d) Changing demographic preferences may require new approaches to transportation, generally, with many millennials foregoing the early acquisition of vehicles or even drivers' licenses, and many baby boomers choosing to remain in the workforce longer than earlier generations and seeking generally to stay active longer; and

(e) Automotive safety, while having greatly improved in recent years, remains a concern for policymakers, in part due to a rise in distracted driving issues.

(2) With the creation of a task force on information technology in transportation in this act, the legislature intends to engage in a collaborative process with the automotive and information technology industries, academia, local and state government stakeholders, other private sector interests, and the public at large to confront and address the practical, legal, and policy challenges of a changing world of information technology in transportation. The legislature intends for the task force to work to identify short, medium, and long-term issues concerning the deployment of information technology in transportation that need addressing, both at the state and local government level and within the private sector, and to propose legislative and administrative solutions to the issues.

(i) The speaker of the house of representatives must appoint three members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives.

(ii) The president of the senate must appoint three members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate.

(iii) The governor must appoint one member to represent the department of transportation.

(b) The legislative members of the task force must select cochairs from among the membership, one from the house of representatives and one from the senate.

(2)(a) The principal charge of the task force is to assist policymakers, businesses, and the public to prepare for and develop a transportation system that accommodates an array of information technology uses in vehicles and for transportation purposes, generally, and that seeks to maximize the benefits from the use of such technology, with respect to: Reduced congestion and traffic accidents; increased mobility, particularly for mobility-challenged persons and those that are underserved by the current transportation system; and greater utility for the traveling public, in general.

(b) The task force must:

(i) Evaluate the state of the automotive sector, with respect to current information technology developments within the industry and with respect to anticipated near and long-term advances;

(ii) Undertake a collaborative approach, with the engagement of stakeholders and experts in the state and local public sector, automotive and information technology industries, other private sector interests, academia, and the public at large;

(iii) Utilize focus groups or other methods to gain insights as to how information technology is affecting and will likely affect the utilization of the transportation system;

(iv) Review the state and local regulatory environment, with respect to rules of the road, vehicular equipment, insurance, and other policy areas related to the information technology in the vehicle market and transportation system, generally, to determine the need for modified or additional governance;

(v) Identify and assess critical public sector infrastructure, based on a strategic architecture, necessary to establish and maintain a transportation system that accommodates and benefits from information technology; and

(vi) Propose legislative and administrative changes to address short, medium, and long-term impediments to the establishment of such a transportation system.

(3) The legislative cochairs must appoint an advisory committee consisting of representatives from automotive and information technology businesses, public sector transportation, local government, academia, and other stakeholder interests to provide technical information and assistance in completing the objectives of the task force. Membership on the advisory committee must include, but are not limited to, representatives from: Private sector developers of self-driving or automated vehicles, the information technology industry, transportation data management interests, local or regional transportation planning groups, the department of transportation, academic researchers, and transportation system users.

(4) The task force must submit to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature a work plan by December 1, 2016, and a report with the task force's final findings and recommendations by November 1, 2017.

(5) Staff support for the task force must be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.

(6) Legislative members of the task force are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.

(7) The expenses of the task force must be paid jointly by the senate and house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.

(8) This section expires June 1, 2018.

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