Creates a new criminal offense, titled "reckless interference with emergency operations," by adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW. The offense occurs when a person operates a vehicle on a public roadway knowing the roadway is closed due to hazardous conditions by an official barricade, signage, or emergency vehicle. It is generally a misdemeanor, elevated to a gross misdemeanor if the violator’s conduct requires emergency assistance, rescue, or evacuation that causes bodily injury to a first responder, or if the violation occurs while a minor under age 16 or a vulnerable adult is present in the vehicle. The bill also subjects a person convicted of, or whose prosecution is deferred for, the offense to a Department of Licensing suspension of driving privileges (30 days for a misdemeanor sentence; 60 days for a gross misdemeanor sentence). The bill allows public agencies that responded to an incident to seek reimbursement for emergency response expenses when a response was required; courts may order reimbursement after finding the expenses reasonable, with liability capped at $25,000 per incident. Prosecutors may present expense information to the court after conviction and before sentencing, and the court may set a payment schedule separate from fine schedules; payments must be remitted directly to the agency or agencies that incurred the costs. If multiple agencies claim payment and total claims exceed recovered amounts, division of recovered funds is to be determined by interlocal agreement under chapter 39.34 RCW. The bill defines which categories of "first responder" are covered by reference to existing RCWs, and references existing RCWs for the terms "vehicle" and "vulnerable adult." The offense may be prosecuted under other state laws in addition to this section. The text provided does not state an effective date, include fiscal notes, or give the full statutory definitions from the referenced RCWs, and it is unclear whether other sections of the bill amend related provisions or address deferred prosecution procedures beyond the liability statement.

If enacted, the law would make it a crime to knowingly drive past official barricades or signs onto roads closed for hazardous conditions and would let courts punish offenders with misdemeanor or, in worse cases, gross misdemeanor charges. Practically, people who do this and cause a rescue or require emergency assistance could be ordered to repay emergency response costs up to $25,000, and their driver’s license would be suspended for 30 days (or 60 days for gross misdemeanors). The risk of a harsher charge rises if a first responder is injured or if a minor under 16 or a vulnerable adult is in the vehicle. Prosecutors can present response costs before sentencing, courts must find those costs reasonable, and payments go directly to the public agencies that responded; deferred prosecution counts the same as a conviction for repayment purposes. The groups most affected are drivers who enter closed roadways (who face possible fines, out-of-pocket liability, and license suspension), public emergency agencies (which can seek reimbursement but face a $25,000 cap per incident and may need interlocal agreements to divide limited recoveries), the Department of Licensing (which must carry out suspensions), and courts/prosecutors (who must review and order reimbursements). Missing from the extracted text are the bill’s effective date, any fiscal impact estimates, and the exact statutory meanings of terms like “first responder,” “vehicle,” and “vulnerable adult,” so timing and some practical details of implementation remain unclear.