The Senate voted 48-2 to pass HB 2192 after the measure advanced from committee without amendment. The bill now heads to the Governor for final signature.

Expansion to the Traffic Safety Commission’s scope of work refined, adopted

February 6, 2026

HB 2192 was recently amended in the House Transportation Committee, making small changes to the new responsibilities assigned to the Traffic Safety Commission.

Of note, the amendments specified that the discussions of the fatality review committee and the committee’s final report may be used in a civil or administrative proceeding with two exceptions:

• The discussions of the fatality review committee during a fatal crash review may not be used in a civil or administrative proceeding; and
• Documents considered during a fatal crash review, other than the committee’s final report, may not be used in a civil or administrative proceeding.

While AWC supports the policy goals of the legislation, staff are not actively engaging on this bill.

HB 2192 passed out of the House Transportation Committee on February 5 and now awaits a vote on the House Floor.

AWC seeks city input on traffic safety improvement bill

January 16, 2026

As part of the state’s efforts to reach its Target Zero goals and increase traffic safety on roadways, Rep. Sam Low (R–Lake Stevens) has sponsored a bill this year that updates and expands the scope of the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission’s work.

HB 2192 (companion to SB 6131) comes at the request of the commission and has bipartisan support in the Legislature.

The bill reestablishes the commission as a public health authority and moves responsibilities from the Cooper Jones Active Transportation Safety Council (the council) to the commission. It also updates the commission’s purpose by directing it, among other things, to identify risk factors that most commonly lead to motor vehicle collisions that result in death or serious injury.

The commission’s many new responsibilities include:

• Receiving crash reports, toxicology reports, and related investigation information from state or local law enforcement agencies and receiving driver licensing records from the Department of Licensing for motor vehicle collisions resulting in a fatality;
• Advising and conferring with federally recognized Indian Tribes; and
• Collecting health care information.

The bill also permits the commission to convene a fatality review committee to review relevant available data and information, and transfers many of the responsibilities of the council to the commission for the purpose of conducting reviews. Specifically, the commission is permitted to:

• Review data related to traffic crashes resulting in the death of a pedestrian, bicyclist, or other active transportation user and presenting reports on the review findings (members of the council are permitted to participate in the reviews);
• Make recommendations regarding changes in statutes, ordinances, rules, and policies that could improve the safety of all road users;
• Consult with local governments and other law enforcement organizations on how to improve crash data quality and to make recommendations on how to improve traffic fatality and serious injury data quality;
• Obtain and examine medical records related to individuals involved in fatal traffic crashes in Washington; and
• Publish reports summarizing trends, contributing factors, and policy or program recommendations resulting from reviews.

Finally, the legislation provides confidentiality for the subjects of health care records reviewed by the commission and liability protection for commission and review committee members. Information and documents related to traffic fatality reviews by the commission are confidential and exempt from public inspection. Furthermore, all meetings or deliberations of a fatality review committee are confidential and are not subject to the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act and the substance of the committee meeting discussions may not be used in a civil or administrative proceeding.

AWC applauds the commission’s work to increase traffic safety on Washington’s roads and supports the policy aims of the bill. We ask AWC members to review the legislation and send us feedback on potential city impacts and suggested improvements to legislation.

Dates to remember

HB 2192 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Transportation Committee on Thursday, January 22, at 4 pm.

SB 6131 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday, January 29, at 4 pm.