BILL REQ. #:  H-2780.3 

Read first time 01/15/14.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to ambulance seat belt notification, air bags, and driver training; adding a new section to chapter 46.37 RCW; 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 46.37 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Ambulance seat belt notification must include a lighted message alarm and may include chime alarms that meet federal regulations regarding chime alarm intervals to notify the driver that a passenger has not fastened his or her seat belt. Seat belt alarms are prohibited from activating until the ambulance unit is put in drive gear. Any ambulance manufactured after the effective date of this section must comply with this subsection, and current warning systems may be modified to the specifications within this subsection on any ambulance manufactured before the effective date of this section.
     (2) Any ambulance manufactured after the effective date of this section must have air bags that meet federal regulations in the cab of the ambulance and must not be modified, blocked, or turned off.
     (3) The Washington fire chiefs and the Washington state patrol must design a program that provides driver simulator training to emergency personnel on driving ambulances. The Washington fire chiefs and the Washington state patrol must provide a written report to the legislature by December 1, 2014, which includes the design, administration requirements, and funding options for the program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act takes effect July 1, 2014.