This bill adds identical new sections to chapter 46.08 RCW and chapter 46.17 RCW requiring that any revenue described as a charge, fee, or tax based on the miles a motor vehicle travels on the highways must be paid into the state treasury and placed in a special fund. The special fund must be used exclusively for highway purposes allowed by Article II, section 40 of the Washington State Constitution. The bill is House Bill 1961 (H-0619.1), was read the first time on 02/13/25, and was referred to the Committee on Transportation; sponsors are Representatives Walsh, Ley, and Jacobsen. Legally, this is a procedural allocation change that creates new statutory sections directing how mileage-based revenue is to be deposited and restricted for use. It does not, in the parts provided, create a new crime, change criminal penalties, or spell out collection mechanisms; it simply prescribes the destination and permissible use of such revenues. The text provided does not assign exact new section numbers, does not define what counts as a "charge, fee, or tax based on the miles a motor vehicle travels," does not identify which agency would administer collection or disbursement of the special fund, and does not include an effective date or transition rules. The bill also does not include the text of Article II, section 40, so the specific constitutionally permitted "highway purposes" are not detailed here.

If passed, the bill would make any money raised by charges, fees, or taxes that are based on miles driven go into the state treasury and be held in a special fund that can only pay for highway purposes allowed under Article II, section 40 of the Washington Constitution. Practically, that means this category of revenue becomes a dedicated, constitutionally restricted source of money for highway projects and related highway spending rather than being available for other budget uses. The State Treasury will have the explicit responsibility to hold that special fund, and highway programs are the primary beneficiaries, but the bill leaves important implementation details unclear: it does not define what exactly counts as a mileage-based charge, say which agency would collect or manage these revenues, explain how the new fund would interact with existing highway funds, or give an effective date. Those gaps make the timing, administrative costs, and precise budgeting impacts uncertain.