AN ACT Relating to updating the distracted driving infraction; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092; adding new sections to chapter 46.61 RCW; repealing RCW 46.61.667 and 46.61.668; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A person who uses a personal electronic device while driving a motor vehicle on a public roadway is guilty of a traffic infraction and must pay a fine as provided in RCW 46.63.110(3).

(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:

(a) A driver who is using a personal electronic device to contact emergency services;

(b) The use of a system by a transit system employee for time-sensitive relay communication between the transit system employee and the transit system's dispatch services;

(c) An individual employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver who uses a personal electronic device within the scope of such individual's employment if such use is permitted under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 31136 as it existed on the effective date of this section;

(d) A person operating an authorized emergency vehicle;

(e) A person operating a tow truck, to the extent that person is using the telephone call functionality of a wireless communications device;

(f) A person operating a motor vehicle other than a commercial motor vehicle during an emergency situation or extraordinary circumstances that have temporarily caused a significant traffic delay; and

(g) Beginning January 1, 2021, a person operating an autonomous vehicle while it is being operated in a mode that does not require the person to be in active physical control of or continuously monitoring the vehicle.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not restrict the operation of:

(a) An amateur radio station by a person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued by the federal communications commission; or

(b) Two-way or citizens band radio services by a person driving a commercial motor vehicle.

(4) The state preempts the field of regulating the use of personal electronic devices in motor vehicles while driving, and this section supersedes any local laws, ordinances, orders, rules, or regulations enacted by any political subdivision or municipality to regulate the use of a personal electronic device by the operator of a motor vehicle.

(5) A second or subsequent offense under this section within five years is subject to two times the penalty amount under RCW 46.63.110.

(6) The first and second offense under this section within five years must not become part of the driver's record under RCW 46.52.101 and 46.52.120, and a finding that a person has committed a first and second offense under this section within five years must not be made available to insurance companies.

(7) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Autonomous vehicle" means any vehicle equipped with technology that has the capability of operating or driving the vehicle without the active physical control or monitoring of a human operator, whether or not the technology is engaged, excluding vehicles equipped with one or more systems that enhance safety or provide driver assistance but are not capable of driving or operating the vehicle without the active physical control or monitoring of a human operator. An "autonomous vehicle" meets the definition of level 3, 4, or 5 of the society of automotive engineers' taxonomy and definitions for terms related to on-road motor vehicle automated driving systems.

(b) "Driving" means to operate a motor vehicle on a public roadway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. "Driving" does not include when the vehicle has pulled over to the side of, or off of, an active roadway and has stopped in a location where it can safely remain stationary.

(c) "Personal electronic device" means any portable electronic device that is capable of wireless communication or electronic data retrieval and is not manufactured primarily for hands-free use in a motor vehicle. "Personal electronic device" includes, but is not limited to, a cell phone, tablet, laptop, two-way messaging device, or electronic game.

(d) "Use" or "uses" means:

(i) Holding a personal electronic device in either hand or both hands;

(ii) Using your hand or finger to compose, send, read, view, access, browse, transmit, save, or retrieve email, text messages, instant messages, photographs, or other electronic data; however, this neither precludes the minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the device, nor precludes the use of a hand or finger to control the built-in features of a motor vehicle through the use of a touch screen control panel;

(iii) Watching video on a personal electronic device.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) It is a traffic infraction to drive dangerously distracted. Any driver who commits this infraction must be assessed the unscheduled infraction base penalty amount prescribed by rule by the supreme court in its schedule of monetary penalties for infractions, as directed under RCW 46.63.110(3).

(b) Enforcement of the infraction of driving dangerously distracted may be accomplished only as a secondary action when a driver of a motor vehicle has been detained for a suspected violation of a separate traffic infraction or an equivalent local ordinance.

(c) For the purposes of this section, "dangerously distracted" means a person who engages in any activity not related to the actual operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that interferes with the safe operation of such motor vehicle on any highway.

(2) The additional monetary penalty imposed under this section must be deposited into the distracted driving prevention account created in subsection (3) of this section.

(3) The distracted driving prevention account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the base penalty in subsection (2) of this section must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only by the Washington traffic safety commission solely to support programs dedicated to reducing distracted driving and improving driver education on distracted driving.

Sec. 3.  RCW 43.84.092 and 2016 c 194 s 5, 2016 c 161 s 20, and 2016 c 112 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which account is hereby established in the state treasury.

(2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the federal cash management improvement act of 1990. The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest earnings required by the cash management improvement act. Refunds of interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require appropriation. The office of financial management shall determine the amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash management improvement act. The office of financial management may direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and this subsection. Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasury and affected state agencies. The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the treasury income account. The state treasurer shall credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the treasury income account except:

(a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's average daily balance for the period: The aeronautics account, the aircraft search and rescue account, the Alaskan Way viaduct replacement project account, the brownfield redevelopment trust fund account, the budget stabilization account, the capital vessel replacement account, the capitol building construction account, the Cedar River channel construction and operation account, the Central Washington University capital projects account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions account, the Chehalis basin account, the cleanup settlement account, the Columbia river basin water supply development account, the Columbia river basin taxable bond water supply development account, the Columbia river basin water supply revenue recovery account, the common school construction fund, the community forest trust account, the connecting Washington account, the county arterial preservation account, the county criminal justice assistance account, the deferred compensation administrative account, the deferred compensation principal account, the department of licensing services account, the department of retirement systems expense account, the developmental disabilities community trust account, the diesel idle reduction account, the distracted driving prevention account, the drinking water assistance account, the drinking water assistance administrative account, the drinking water assistance repayment account, the Eastern Washington University capital projects account, the Interstate 405 express toll lanes operations account, the education construction fund, the education legacy trust account, the election account, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure account, the energy freedom account, the energy recovery act account, the essential rail assistance account, The Evergreen State College capital projects account, the federal forest revolving account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the freight mobility investment account, the freight mobility multimodal account, the grade crossing protective fund, the public health services account, the high capacity transportation account, the state higher education construction account, the higher education construction account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway infrastructure account, the highway safety fund, the high occupancy toll lanes operations account, the hospital safety net assessment fund, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal account, the local leasehold excise tax account, the local real estate excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, the marine resources stewardship trust account, the medical aid account, the mobile home park relocation fund, the money-purchase retirement savings administrative account, the money-purchase retirement savings principal account, the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the multimodal transportation account, the multiuse roadway safety account, the municipal criminal justice assistance account, the natural resources deposit account, the oyster reserve land account, the pension funding stabilization account, the perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the pollution liability insurance agency underground storage tank revolving account, the public employees' retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the public facilities construction loan revolving account beginning July 1, 2004, the public health supplemental account, the public works assistance account, the Puget Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations account, the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account, the real estate appraiser commission account, the recreational vehicle account, the regional mobility grant program account, the resource management cost account, the rural arterial trust account, the rural mobility grant program account, the rural Washington loan fund, the site closure account, the skilled nursing facility safety net trust fund, the small city pavement and sidewalk account, the special category C account, the special wildlife account, the state employees' insurance account, the state employees' insurance reserve account, the state investment board expense account, the state investment board commingled trust fund accounts, the state patrol highway account, the state route number 520 civil penalties account, the state route number 520 corridor account, the state wildlife account, the supplemental pension account, the Tacoma Narrows toll bridge account, the teachers' retirement system plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco settlement account, the toll facility bond retirement account, the transportation 2003 account (nickel account), the transportation equipment fund, the transportation fund, the transportation future funding program account, the transportation improvement account, the transportation improvement board bond retirement account, the transportation infrastructure account, the transportation partnership account, the traumatic brain injury account, the tuition recovery trust fund, the University of Washington bond retirement fund, the University of Washington building account, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' administrative fund, the Washington judicial retirement system account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 1 retirement account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington public safety employees' plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the Washington state health insurance pool account, the Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State University building account, the Washington State University bond retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving administration account, the water pollution control revolving fund, the Western Washington University capital projects account, the Yakima integrated plan implementation account, the Yakima integrated plan implementation revenue recovery account, and the Yakima integrated plan implementation taxable bond account. Earnings derived from investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the scientific permanent fund, the state university permanent fund, and the state reclamation revolving account shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.

(b) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts or funds not statutorily required to be held in the state treasury that deposits funds into a fund or account in the state treasury pursuant to an agreement with the office of the state treasurer shall receive its proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period.

(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

(1) RCW 46.61.667 (Using a wireless communications device or handheld mobile telephone while driving) and 2013 c 224 s 15, 2010 c 223 s 3, & 2007 c 417 s 2; and

(2) RCW 46.61.668 (Sending, reading, or writing a text message while driving) and 2013 c 224 s 16, 2010 c 223 s 4, & 2007 c 416 s 1.

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