| Passed by the House April 17, 2007 Yeas 90 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 13, 2007 Yeas 32 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 1214 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. RICHARD NAFZIGER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved May 11, 2007, 10:12 a.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | May 11, 2007 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/15/2007. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to operating a motor vehicle while reading, writing, or sending electronic messages; adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW; 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) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a person
operating a moving motor vehicle who, by means of an electronic
wireless communications device, other than a voice-activated global
positioning or navigation system that is permanently affixed to the
vehicle, sends, reads, or writes a text message, is guilty of a traffic
infraction. A person does not send, read, or write a text message when
he or she reads, selects, or enters a phone number or name in a
wireless communications device for the purpose of making a phone call.
(2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a person
operating:
(a) An authorized emergency vehicle; or
(b) A moving motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless
communications device to:
(i) Report illegal activity;
(ii) Summon medical or other emergency help;
(iii) Prevent injury to a person or property; or
(iv) Relay information between a transit or for-hire operator and
that operator's dispatcher, in which the device is permanently affixed
to the vehicle.
(3) Enforcement of this section by law enforcement officers may be
accomplished only as a secondary action when a driver of a motor
vehicle has been detained for a suspected violation of this title or an
equivalent local ordinance or some other offense.
(4) Infractions under this act shall not become part of the
driver's record under RCW 46.52.101 and 46.52.120. Additionally, a
finding that a person has committed a traffic infraction under this
section shall not be made available to insurance companies or
employers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 This act takes effect January 1, 2008.