The bill adds a new section to chapter 46.92 RCW and amends RCW 46.92.010 to create procedural requirements for autonomous vehicles registered in Washington and for entities that self‑certify vehicles for testing. It requires autonomous vehicles to meet applicable federal motor vehicle standards and prohibits operating an autonomous vehicle on a highway to transport passengers or goods unless a human safety operator is physically present to monitor and intervene; any such operator must meet state and federal licensing requirements. The bill also bars operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roadways for testing in Washington until the new section's requirements are met and the department has received the required testing information. The bill specifies information self‑certifying entities must provide to the (unnamed) department to test on public roads, including contact information, local jurisdictions where testing will occur, vehicle identification numbers or a department‑assigned unique identification number, and proof of insurance meeting RCW 46.30.050. It requires advance written notice to local and state law enforcement 14 to 60 days before testing (with an exception that testing primarily on limited access highways that cross multiple jurisdictions need only notify the Washington State Patrol), notification to the department of collisions reportable under RCW 46.52.030 and of moving violations as defined by administrative rule under RCW 46.20.2891, and an annual report due February 1 covering prior‑year reportable events and whether the autonomous driving system was operating. The department may adopt an administrative fee, must provide public access to submitted information, and must send an annual summary to the legislature’s house and senate transportation committees. The bill defines “autonomous vehicle” for these provisions by SAE J3016 automation levels 3–5 as of the section’s effective date (or a later date the department may adopt by rule) or as a vehicle capable of sustained steering control and purposeful lane departure, and defines “human safety operator” as a person who supervises and intervenes as necessary. Important details are not included in the provided text: the specific department referenced is not identified, the exact effective date for applying SAE J3016 is not stated, the administrative rule definition of “moving violations” is not provided, and no penalties, enforcement mechanisms, or the act’s statutory effective date are included.

If enacted, companies testing highly automated cars in Washington will face clear new upfront and ongoing requirements: they must register testing with the state department (providing contact info, planned jurisdictions, VINs or assigned unique IDs, and proof of required insurance), give 14–60 days written notice to local or state law enforcement (or only the Washington State Patrol for primarily limited-access highway testing), have a human safety operator in the vehicle who meets driver licensing standards, and submit reports of any reportable collisions or moving violations and an annual summary. The state department can charge an administration fee, will publish the submitted information for the public, and must send an annual summary to the legislature, which will add administrative work for the agency and transparency obligations for testers. The group most affected is self‑certifying entities running on‑road tests: they will incur new compliance costs, staff and training needs for safety operators, paperwork and reporting burdens, and potential fees, while local law enforcement and the state patrol will receive advance notice and more collision/violation data. Key uncertainties remain about which specific state department is responsible, how “moving violations” will be defined by rule, the act’s effective date, and what penalties or enforcement steps apply if requirements aren’t met.