The bill amends existing law (RCW 47.56.030) to require the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) to immediately suspend tolls on any facility that could reasonably be construed to be an evacuation route when a federal, state, or local authority issues a level 3 or "go now" evacuation notice covering an area that includes multiple properties. The toll suspension must remain in effect until DOT determines it is no longer necessary to facilitate the evacuation. The amendment is a procedural change to tolling operations and does not create a new crime or change criminal penalties. The bill also reaffirms DOT authority and responsibilities over planning, analysis, construction, operation, and maintenance of toll bridges, toll facilities, and Washington State Ferries, with tolls set by the Transportation Commission. It directs DOT to use simple, unified, interoperable toll collection systems and to avoid toll booths when practicable, and it modifies procurement procedures for ferries and related work by: authorizing emergency no-bid contracts for urgent ferry or terminal repairs and single-source dry-docking contracts (up to two years) when only one bidder exists; allowing the DOT secretary to authorize competitive sealed proposals (RFPs) in lieu of invitations for bid with specified RFP requirements; and requiring life-cycle cost analysis for propulsion equipment RFPs that include engines, with life-cycle cost given at least equal weight to initial price when used. DOT may reject proposals and award contracts to the proposer most advantageous to the state based on stated evaluation factors. The act takes effect October 1, 2026. Important contextual details are not included in the extracted text: the bill does not define how DOT must determine whether a facility "could be reasonably construed to be an evacuation route," it does not describe the procedures DOT must follow to determine when a suspension is no longer necessary, and it references other statutes (chapters and RCW sections) without providing their text to clarify exceptions or interactions.

If enacted, people evacuating under a level 3 "go now" order that covers multiple properties can use any roadway or ferry facility that DOT could reasonably be seen as an evacuation route without paying tolls for the duration of the evacuation, shifting immediate toll costs from individuals to the state until DOT restores tolling. The Washington State Department of Transportation will need to make rapid decisions about which facilities qualify and when to reinstate tolls, which creates a likely short-term drop in toll revenue and an operational burden to implement suspensions quickly; the law does not specify the criteria or procedures DOT must use to make those decisions, so some implementation details remain unclear. The law also gives DOT more procurement flexibility for ferries and related work: it can award emergency no-bid contracts for urgent ferry repairs and single-source dry-docking contracts for up to two years, and it can use competitive sealed proposals instead of bids when justified, with RFPs required to evaluate life-cycle cost for propulsion systems. That will change how vendors compete for ferry work (favoring single-source suppliers in narrow cases and proposals evaluated on factors beyond lowest price) and gives DOT more discretion in urgent or specialized procurements, while also shifting some cost and project risk management responsibilities onto DOT. The act would take effect October 1, 2026.