SB 5042 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning vehicle and operator requirements for autonomous vehicles.

SB 5042 requires that autonomous vehicles transporting passengers or goods in Washington must have a human safety operator physically present to monitor and intervene if needed, meeting all standard driving requirements. It mandates that companies testing autonomous vehicles must provide law enforcement with advance notice (14-60 days), report collisions and moving violations, and display vehicle details like make and license plate. The bill also sets federal compliance standards for autonomous vehicles and requires testers to submit annual safety reports to the state legislature. These rules directly affect autonomous vehicle testing companies, safety operators, and law enforcement agencies.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026
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3
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Committee
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Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
upper
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors

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