This bill adds a new section to chapter 46.20 RCW and amends RCW 46.20.075 and RCW 46.63.200. It creates a new licensing requirement that applicants for a new Washington driver’s license who are under age 26 must pass an online Department‑approved driver work zone and first responder safety course; the Department of Licensing must contract with a provider to make the course available at no cost to Washington residents ages 15–25 and may waive the requirement if the course is not available at the time of application. The amendment to the intermediate license statute incorporates this course requirement as a condition of an intermediate license while retaining and restating the statute’s existing eligibility, restrictions, and exceptions (age, permit holding period, driver education and supervised driving hours, passenger and curfew limits, enforcement as a traffic infraction, and other enumerated exceptions). The bill also establishes a statutory framework for speed safety camera systems in state highway work zones by amending RCW 46.63.200. It assigns the Department of Transportation responsibility for operating and administering camera systems, procurement, mailing notices, signage, a public website, and a required 30‑day public awareness campaign after the first camera is installed; the Washington State Patrol is assigned enforcement, notice verification/authorization, adjudication responsibility, and determination of exempt emergency vehicles. Camera use is limited to recording vehicles during an actual posted work zone speed violation when workers are present; images may not reveal driver or passenger faces and are for exclusive agency use. The bill creates a civil penalty structure tied to camera detections (first violation $0; second and each subsequent violation $248), requires notices to be mailed within 30 days to registered owners or identified renters, treats these infractions like parking infractions (not criminal convictions and not placed on driving records), sets rental‑car business notice procedures, directs camera revenues to the highway safety fund (first to operating costs, with excess for traffic safety including funding the required online course), and requires reporting to the Legislature on camera data and efficacy with a final report by July 1, 2029; the camera authority expires June 30, 2030. The act takes effect May 1, 2026. Procedurally, recipients of camera‑based notices must respond within 30 days by paying (unless it is the first violation), contesting, or requesting mitigation; failure to respond results in a final order assessing the second‑and‑subsequent penalty. Contested or mitigation matters are adjudicated by the Office of Administrative Hearings under chapter 34.05 RCW with the issuing agency bearing the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence. The bill requires agencies issuing infractions to provide information on inability to pay and payment plans, and authorizes the Office of Administrative Hearings to establish or modify payment plans for those unable to pay. Important details are not included in the extracted facts: the provided text cuts off mid‑provision regarding payment plans, the effective date and some subsections referenced are partly missing, and specific standards, approval criteria, and verification/enforcement mechanisms for the required online course are not provided in these excerpts.

If enacted, people under 26 getting a Washington driver's license for the first time would likely have to pass a free, state‑approved online course about work zone and first responder safety before licensing, and 16‑year‑olds getting intermediate licenses would need to meet the same requirement. The Department of Transportation must contract to host that course for residents ages 15–25, and DOT will operate speed safety cameras in state highway work zones while the Washington State Patrol handles enforcement; camera evidence cannot show driver or passenger faces, signs must warn drivers, and the first camera notice is not charged while later violations are $248. Notices must be mailed within 30 days and recipients have 30 days to pay (first is exempt), contest, or seek mitigation, with missed responses resulting in a final order; camera penalties won’t count as convictions or go on a driving record. The biggest impacts fall on young driver applicants (new costs in time to complete the course but no fee), the Department of Transportation and State Patrol (new operational, contracting, rulemaking, and enforcement duties), rental car businesses (must promptly identify drivers or face notices), and vehicle owners/renters (presumptive liability unless rebutted). Revenue from camera programs must first cover camera operating costs and then be used for highway safety purposes, including funding the online course and local DUI patrols. Some implementation details are unclear from the provided text—such as exact course approval and completion verification rules, full payment‑plan procedures, and text in earlier subsections that could affect liability or process.