wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2410 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that:
The trucking industry is an essential part of our everyday lives. The trucking industry facilitates essential economic activity, including through the transport of goods for logistics, e-commerce, construction, agriculture, by driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enabling the movement of raw materials and finished products for all sectors. Trucks are vital for businesses to operate efficiently, reach customers, and meet supply chain demands.
In Washington, the trucking industry contributes significantly to state and federal roadway taxes owed by Washington motorists. In 2024, trucks accounted for 8.8 percent of the miles driven upon Washington roadways. The trucking industry accounts for over 170,000 jobs in Washington. Eighty percent of communities in Washington depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.
The importance of collecting and evaluating data related to commercial vehicle collisions and safety incidents throughout Washington state. Over the last 10 years, Washingtonians have seen an uptick in collisions involving large trucks, underscoring the urgent need for targeted strategies to improve roadway safety. According to the Washington traffic safety commission, commercial vehicles were involved in an increasing percentage of fatal and serious injury crashes, with factors such as distracted driving, driver fatigue, and inadequate training contributing to these incidents. Through robust safety initiatives and ongoing evaluation, the legislature aims to focus efforts on a reduction in these crash rates and enhancement of the overall safety of Washington's transportation network.
The Washington state trucking industry faces many challenges, including challenges related to workforce development, highway safety, highway planning, and public education. A coordinated and focused mechanism is critical to promote education, training, research, and development for enhanced safety and efficiency within the industry. Such a system provides for better communication between industry, the public, enforcement agencies, local government, and the legislature, to enhance the safe, efficient delivery of goods and services and to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts and activities.
It is the intent of this act to establish the Washington state commercial truck safety and education council, hereinafter referred to as the "council," to deliver programs and projects to advance state interests in roadway safety and improve the safety of the commercial truck industry through cooperative public-private programs that focus on examining crash trends and evidence-based best practices in driver education, improved regulatory compliance, industry training, and educational programs to drive the safe movement of goods on Washington state highways. It is also the intent of the legislature to ensure that adequate funding is provided to implement this act to improve safety and efficiency in the trucking industry.
The Washington state commercial truck safety and education council is established in the Washington traffic safety commission to deliver programs and projects that improve the safety of the commercial truck industry through cooperative public-private programs that focus on examining crash trends and evidence-based best practices in driver education, improved regulatory compliance, industry training, and educational programs. The council shall consist of the following members, appointed by the governor:
The chief of the Washington state patrol, or the chief's designee;
The director of the department of licensing, or the director's designee;
The secretary of the department of transportation, or the secretary's designee;
The executive director of the Washington trucking associations or the executive director's designee;
The director of the Washington traffic safety commission, or the director's designee;
The executive director of the Washington state board for community and technical colleges, or the executive director's designee;
One member of the general public;
Three members from a trucking industry association or associations as representatives of the trucking industry, with consideration given to a list of six nominees representative of the trucking industry submitted by the Washington trucking association.
In addition, the council may, where feasible, consult with other governmental entities or individuals from the public and private sector who have a unique interest or expertise in commercial vehicle safety, training, and efficient operations.
The Washington state commercial truck safety and education council must meet at least quarterly. The council shall initially convene at the call of the director of the Washington traffic safety commission, or the director's designee, no later than the third Monday in January 2027. Subsequent meetings of the council shall be at the call of the chair or six members.
The council shall annually elect a chair and other such officers as it deems appropriate from its membership.
Members of the council shall serve terms of four years each on a staggered schedule to be established by the first council. For purposes of initiating a staggered schedule of terms, some members of the first council may initially serve two years and some members may initially serve four years.
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The Washington state commercial truck safety and education council may exercise powers necessary, pertinent, convenient, or incidental to carrying out its purposes including, but not limited to, the following:
Development of programs and projects that carry out the purpose of the council including, but not limited to, enhancing safety and training, providing for research and development, and educating the public;
Providing for the payment of council costs with funds designed for this use under RCW 46.17.315(2);
Coordination of council activities with industry associations, and others as appropriate, to provide efficient delivery of services and to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts and activities;
Authority to contract with any public or private person, partnership, association, or corporation to carry out the purpose of the council;
Authority to apply for, receive, and accept grants, loans, advances, and contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied for the council's purposes;
Authority to enter into cooperative endeavor agreements with the trucking foundation of Washington, or its successor entity, a nonprofit corporation, for the use of staff and resources to carry out the powers and duties of the council; and
Authority to provide grants targeted at improving commercial motor vehicle safety and training.
Beginning December 31, 2027, the council shall annually report its activities, findings, and recommendations during the preceding year to the transportation committees of the legislature by December 31st.
The council may solicit and accept gifts, grants, bequests, devises, or other funds from public and private sources to support its activities.
The governor may remove any member of the Washington state commercial truck safety and education council for cause including, but not limited to, neglect of duty, misconduct, malfeasance or misfeasance in office, or upon written request of two-thirds of the members of the council. Upon the death, resignation, or removal of a member, the governor shall appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.
Members of the Washington state commercial truck safety and education council who are not public employees shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.250 and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the council in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
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Documents prepared by or for the council are inadmissible and may not be used in a civil or administrative proceeding, except that any document that exists before its use or consideration in a review by the council, or that is created independently of such review, does not become inadmissible merely because it is reviewed or used by the council. For confidential information, such as personally identifiable information and medical records, which are obtained by the council, the council may not publicly disclose such confidential information. No person who was in attendance at a meeting of the council or who participated in the creation, retention, collection, or maintenance of information or documents specifically for the council shall be permitted to testify in any civil action as to the content of such proceedings or of the documents and information prepared specifically as part of the activities of the council. However, recommendations from the council may be disclosed without personal identifiers.
The council may review, only to the extent otherwise permitted by law or court rule when determined to be relevant and necessary: Any law enforcement incident documentation, such as incident reports, dispatch records, and victim, witness, and suspect statements; any supplemental reports, probable cause statements, and 911 call taker's reports; and any other information determined to be relevant to the review. The council must maintain the confidentiality of such information to the extent required by any applicable law.
If acting in good faith, without malice, and within the parameters of and protocols established under this chapter, representatives of the council are immune from civil liability for an activity related to reviews of particular fatalities and serious injuries.
This section must not be construed to provide a private civil cause of action.
Before accepting an application for a motor vehicle base plated in the state of Washington that is subject to highway inspections and compliance reviews by the Washington state patrol under RCW 46.32.080 or the international registration plan if base plated in a foreign jurisdiction, the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director shall require the applicant to pay a $32 commercial vehicle safety enforcement fee in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. The $32 fee:
Must be apportioned for those vehicles operating interstate and registered under the international registration plan;
Does not apply to trailers; and
Is not refundable when the motor vehicle is no longer subject to RCW 46.32.080.
The department may deduct an amount equal to the cost of administering the program. All remaining fees must be deposited with the state treasurer and credited in equal proportions to the state patrol highway account of the motor vehicle fund created in RCW 46.68.070 and the commercial truck safety and education account created in section 4 of this act.
The commercial truck safety and education account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts directed to this account in RCW 46.17.315(2) must be deposited in the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for commercial vehicle safety and training improvement activities, administrative support, and grant projects or programs administered by the Washington state commercial truck safety and education council created in section 2 of this act. Only the director of the Washington traffic safety commission or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.