Transit conduct/ferries

AN ACT Relating to expanding the locations where a person can be 1
guilty of unlawful transit conduct to include the Washington state 2
ferries; amending RCW 9.91.025; and prescribing penalties.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 9.91.025 and 2009 c 279 s 3 are each amended to read 5
as follows: 6
(1) A person is guilty of unlawful transit conduct if, while on 7
or in a transit vehicle or in or at a transit station, he or she 8
knowingly: 9
(a) Smokes or carries a lighted or smoldering pipe, cigar, or 10
cigarette, unless he or she is smoking in an area designated and 11
authorized by the transit authority; 12
(b) Discards litter other than in designated receptacles;13
(c) Dumps or discards, or both, any materials on or at a transit 14
facility including, but not limited to, hazardous substances and 15
automotive fluids; 16
(d) Plays any radio, recorder, or other sound-producing 17
equipment, except that nothing herein prohibits the use of the 18
equipment when connected to earphones or an ear receiver that limits 19
the sound to an individual listener. The use of public address 20
systems or music systems that are authorized by a transit agency is 21
H-0727.1
HOUSE BILL 1616
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Reed, Berry, Ramel, Parshley, Leavitt, Bernbaum,
Thai, Ormsby, Ryu, and Nance
Read first time 01/27/25. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
p. 1 HB 1616
permitted. The use of communications devices by transit employees and 1
designated contractors or public safety officers in the line of duty 2
is permitted, as is the use of private communications devices used to 3
summon, notify, or communicate with other individuals, such as pagers 4
and cellular phones; 5
(e) Spits, expectorates, urinates, or defecates, except in 6
appropriate plumbing fixtures in restroom facilities;7
(f) Carries any flammable liquid, explosive, acid, or other 8
article or material likely to cause harm to others, except that 9
nothing herein prevents a person from carrying a cigarette, cigar, or 10
pipe lighter or carrying a firearm or ammunition in a way that is not 11
otherwise prohibited by law; 12
(g) Consumes an alcoholic beverage or is in possession of an open 13
alcoholic beverage container, unless authorized by the transit 14
authority and required permits have been obtained;15
(h) Obstructs or impedes the flow of transit vehicles or 16
passenger traffic, hinders or prevents access to transit vehicles or 17
stations, or otherwise unlawfully interferes with the provision or 18
use of public transportation services; 19
(i) Unreasonably disturbs others by engaging in loud, raucous, 20
unruly, harmful, or harassing behavior; 21
(j) Destroys, defaces, or otherwise damages property in a transit 22
vehicle or at a transit facility; 23
(k) Throws an object in a transit vehicle, at a transit facility, 24
or at any person at a transit facility with intent to do harm;25
(l) Possesses an unissued transfer or fare media or tenders an 26
unissued transfer or fare media as proof of fare payment;27
(m) Falsely claims to be a transit operator or other transit 28
employee or through words, actions, or the use of clothes, insignia, 29
or equipment resembling department-issued uniforms and equipment, 30
creates a false impression that he or she is a transit operator or 31
other transit employee; 32
(n) Engages in gambling or any game of chance for the winning of 33
money or anything of value; 34
(o) Skates on roller skates or in-line skates, or rides in or 35
upon or by any means a coaster, skateboard, toy vehicle, or any 36
similar device. However, a person may walk while wearing skates or 37
carry a skateboard while on or in a transit vehicle or in or at a 38
transit station if that conduct is not otherwise prohibited by law; 39
or 40
p. 2 HB 1616
(p) Engages in other conduct that is inconsistent with the 1
intended use and purpose of the transit facility, transit station, or 2
transit vehicle and refuses to obey the lawful commands of an agent 3
of the transit authority or a peace officer to cease such conduct.4
(2) For the purposes of this section: 5
(a) "Transit station" or "transit facility" means all passenger 6
facilities, structures, stops, shelters, bus zones, properties, and 7
rights-of-way of all kinds that are owned, leased, held, or used by a 8
transit authority for the purpose of providing public transportation 9
services. 10
(b) "Transit vehicle" means any motor vehicle, streetcar, train, 11
trolley vehicle, ferry boat, or any other device, vessel, or vehicle 12
that is owned or operated by a transit authority or an entity 13
providing service on behalf of a transit authority that is used for 14
the purpose of carrying passengers on a regular schedule.15
(c) "Transit authority" means a city transit system under RCW 16
35.58.2721 or chapter 35.95A RCW, a county transportation authority 17
under chapter 36.57 RCW, a metropolitan municipal corporation transit 18
system under chapter 36.56 RCW, a public transportation benefit area 19
under chapter 36.57A RCW, an unincorporated transportation benefit 20
area under RCW 36.57.100, a regional transportation authority under 21
chapter 81.112 RCW, the Washington state ferries, or any special 22
purpose district formed to operate a public transportation system.23
(3) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a 24
misdemeanor. 25
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p. 3 HB 1616