Traumatic brain injuries

AN ACT Relating to services and supports for individuals with 1
traumatic brain injuries; amending RCW 46.63.110, 74.31.040, 2
74.31.050, and 74.31.060; and creating a new section.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that individuals 5
living with traumatic brain injuries face significant barriers to 6
accessing necessary support services, community integration programs, 7
and peer-led recovery opportunities. The legislature acknowledges 8
that traumatic brain injuries can lead to long-term cognitive, 9
emotional, and physical challenges, often resulting in social 10
isolation, difficulty in maintaining employment, and limited access 11
to rehabilitation services. Additionally, family members and 12
caregivers of individuals with a traumatic brain injury require 13
ongoing support and guidance to navigate the complexities of 14
available resources. Recent trends indicate that allocations have 15
disproportionately favored virtual education and state-affiliated 16
programs, leaving direct peer-to-peer groups and community-based 17
support underfunded. The disappearance of many in-person support 18
groups, due to financial constraints, has severely limited 19
opportunities for individuals with a traumatic brain injury to 20
H-1134.1
HOUSE BILL 1848
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Doglio, Goodman, Parshley, Salahuddin, and Wylie
Read first time 02/05/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
Human Services.
p. 1 HB 1848
connect, build essential life skills, and engage in meaningful 1
recovery-focused activities. 2
The legislature recognizes the urgent need to rebalance funding 3
priorities to ensure that in-person support groups and community 4
integration programs are adequately supported. To further facilitate 5
community integration and education, the legislature finds that an 6
annual conference should be sponsored by the traumatic brain injury 7
council to bring together survivors, caregivers, professionals, and 8
community members. This conference will serve as a platform for 9
knowledge-sharing, networking, and collaboration on traumatic brain 10
injury research, rehabilitation, and support services.11
Sec. 2. RCW 46.63.110 and 2024 c 308 s 3 are each amended to 12
read as follows: 13
(1)(a) A person found to have committed a traffic infraction 14
shall be assessed a monetary penalty. No penalty may exceed $250 for 15
each offense unless authorized by this chapter or title.16
(b) The court may waive or remit any monetary penalty, fee, cost, 17
assessment, or other monetary obligation associated with a traffic 18
infraction unless the specific monetary obligation in question is 19
prohibited from being waived or remitted by state law.20
(2) The monetary penalty for a violation of (a) RCW 46.55.105(2) 21
is $250 for each offense; (b) RCW 46.61.210(1) is $500 for each 22
offense. No penalty assessed under this subsection (2) may be 23
reduced. 24
(3) The supreme court shall prescribe by rule a schedule of 25
monetary penalties for designated traffic infractions. This rule 26
shall also specify the conditions under which local courts may 27
exercise discretion in assessing fines and penalties for traffic 28
infractions. The legislature respectfully requests the supreme court 29
to adjust this schedule every two years for inflation.30
(4) There shall be a penalty of $25 for failure to respond to a 31
notice of traffic infraction except where the infraction relates to 32
parking as defined by local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution 33
or failure to pay a monetary penalty imposed pursuant to this 34
chapter. A local legislative body may set a monetary penalty not to 35
exceed $25 for failure to respond to a notice of traffic infraction 36
relating to parking as defined by local law, ordinance, regulation, 37
or resolution. The local court, whether a municipal, police, or 38
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district court, shall impose the monetary penalty set by the local 1
legislative body. 2
(5) Monetary penalties provided for in chapter 46.70 RCW which 3
are civil in nature and penalties which may be assessed for 4
violations of chapter 46.44 RCW relating to size, weight, and load of 5
motor vehicles are not subject to the limitation on the amount of 6
monetary penalties which may be imposed pursuant to this chapter.7
(6) Whenever a monetary penalty, fee, cost, assessment, or other 8
monetary obligation is imposed by a court under this chapter, it is 9
immediately payable and is enforceable as a civil judgment under 10
Title 6 RCW. If the court determines that a person is not able to pay 11
a monetary obligation in full, the court shall enter into a payment 12
plan with the person in accordance with RCW 46.63.190 and standards 13
that may be set out in court rule. 14
(7) In addition to any other penalties imposed under this section 15
and not subject to the limitation of subsection (1) of this section, 16
a person found to have committed a traffic infraction shall be 17
assessed: 18
(a) A fee of $5 per infraction. Under no circumstances shall this 19
fee be reduced or waived. Revenue from this fee shall be forwarded to 20
the state treasurer for deposit in the emergency medical services and 21
trauma care system trust account under RCW 70.168.040;22
(b) A fee of $10 per infraction. Under no circumstances shall 23
this fee be reduced or waived. Revenue from this fee shall be 24
forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit in the general fund; and25
(c) A fee of (($5)) $10 per infraction. Under no circumstances 26
shall this fee be reduced or waived. Revenue from this fee shall be 27
forwarded to the state treasurer for deposit in the traumatic brain 28
injury account established in RCW 74.31.060. 29
(8)(a) In addition to any other penalties imposed under this 30
section and not subject to the limitation of subsection (1) of this 31
section, a person found to have committed a traffic infraction other 32
than of RCW 46.61.527 or 46.61.212 shall be assessed an additional 33
penalty of $24. The court may not reduce, waive, or suspend the 34
additional penalty unless the court finds the offender to be 35
indigent. If a court authorized community restitution program for 36
offenders is available in the jurisdiction, the court shall allow 37
offenders to offset all or a part of the penalty due under this 38
subsection (8) by participation in the court authorized community 39
restitution program. 40
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(b) $12.50 of the additional penalty under (a) of this subsection 1
shall be remitted to the state treasurer. The remaining revenue from 2
the additional penalty must be remitted under chapters 2.08, 3.46, 3
3.50, 3.62, 10.82, and 35.20 RCW. Money remitted under this 4
subsection to the state treasurer must be deposited as follows: $8.50 5
in the state general fund and $4 in the driver licensing technology 6
support account created under RCW 46.68.067. The moneys deposited 7
into the driver licensing technology support account must be used to 8
support information technology systems used by the department to 9
communicate with the judicial information system, manage driving 10
records, and implement court orders. The balance of the revenue 11
received by the county or city treasurer under this subsection must 12
be deposited into the county or city current expense fund. Moneys 13
retained by the city or county under this subsection shall constitute 14
reimbursement for any liabilities under RCW 43.135.060.15
(9) If a legal proceeding, such as garnishment, has commenced to 16
collect any delinquent amount owed by the person for any penalty 17
imposed by the court under this section, the person may request a 18
payment plan pursuant to RCW 46.63.190. 19
(10) The monetary penalty for violating RCW 46.37.395 is: (a) 20
$250 for the first violation; (b) $500 for the second violation; and 21
(c) $750 for each violation thereafter. 22
(11) The additional monetary penalty for a violation of RCW 23
46.20.500 is not subject to assessments or fees provided under this 24
section. 25
(12) The additional monetary fine for a violation of RCW 26
46.61.110, 46.61.145, 46.61.180, 46.61.185, 46.61.190, and 46.61.205 27
is not subject to assessments or fees provided under this section.28
(13) The additional monetary penalties for a violation of RCW 29
46.61.165 are not subject to assessments or fees provided under this 30
section. 31
(14) The monetary penalty for a violation of RCW 46.63.200 is not 32
subject to assessments or fees provided under this section.33
Sec. 3. RCW 74.31.040 and 2011 c 143 s 4 are each amended to 34
read as follows: 35
(1) In collaboration with the council, the department shall 36
conduct a public awareness campaign that utilizes funding from the 37
traumatic brain injury account to leverage a private advertising 38
campaign to persuade Washington residents to be aware and concerned 39
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about the issues facing individuals with traumatic brain injuries 1
through all forms of media including internet, television, radio, and 2
print. The public awareness campaign shall also include information 3
on the availability and benefits of in-person peer support groups, 4
community integration programs, and other services designed to assist 5
individuals with traumatic brain injuries and their families.6
(2) In addition to existing public awareness efforts, the council 7
shall sponsor an annual statewide traumatic brain injury conference. 8
This event must provide opportunities for education, networking, and 9
collaboration among survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and 10
community organizations to improve knowledge of traumatic brain 11
injury issues and available resources.12
Sec. 4. RCW 74.31.050 and 2011 c 143 s 5 are each amended to 13
read as follows: 14
(1) The department shall provide funding from the traumatic brain 15
injury account established by RCW 74.31.060 to programs that 16
facilitate support groups to individuals with traumatic brain 17
injuries and their families. 18
(2) The department shall use a request for proposal process to 19
select the programs to receive funding. The council shall provide 20
recommendations to the department on the criteria to be used in 21
selecting the programs. 22
(3) At least 30 percent of the annual expenditures from the 23
traumatic brain injury account must be allocated to in-person support 24
groups and community integration activities. The department shall 25
ensure that funds dedicated to in-person support groups, the 26
expansion of structured programs that facilitate direct peer-to-peer 27
connection for individuals and family members impacted by traumatic 28
brain injuries, and community integration programs prioritize peer 29
engagement and are not disproportionately allocated to virtual-only 30
support structures or other department-affiliated programs that do 31
not. The council shall review and approve annual funding proposals 32
for in-person support and community integration programs to ensure 33
transparency and adherence to legislative intent. The department 34
shall make every effort to disburse the incremental revenue that is 35
the result of the fee under RCW 46.63.110(7)(c) or federal funds 36
under RCW 74.31.060(2) in a diverse manner to include rural areas of 37
the state.38
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(4) The department shall allocate a portion of funding from the 1
traumatic brain injury account to support the planning and execution 2
of an annual traumatic brain injury conference. The council shall 3
provide recommendations on the content, structures, and speakers to 4
ensure a comprehensive approach that includes survivor experiences, 5
professional training, and policy discussions.6
Sec. 5. RCW 74.31.060 and 2019 c 181 s 2 are each amended to 7
read as follows: 8
(1) The traumatic brain injury account is created in the state 9
treasury. The fee imposed under RCW 46.63.110(7)(c) must be deposited 10
into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after 11
appropriation, and may be used only to support the activities in the 12
statewide traumatic brain injury comprehensive plan, to provide a 13
public awareness campaign and services relating to traumatic brain 14
injury under RCW 74.31.040 and 74.31.050, for information and 15
referral services, and for costs of required department staff who are 16
providing support for the council under RCW 74.31.020 and 74.31.030. 17
Additionally, at least 30 percent of the annual expenditures from the 18
account must be for in-person support groups and community 19
integration activities that promote social connections between 20
individuals impacted by traumatic brain injury. The secretary of the 21
department of social and health services ((has the authority to )) 22
shall administer the funds in alignment with the priorities outlined 23
in this section and ensure compliance with all allocation 24
requirements. The department must make every effort to disburse the 25
incremental revenue that is the result of the fee increased under RCW 26
46.63.110(7)(c) in a diverse manner to include rural areas of the 27
state. 28
(2) The department shall proactively seek, apply for, and secure 29
federal funding opportunities, including but not limited to grants 30
available through the administration for community living and other 31
federal programs. These efforts shall be conducted in coordination 32
with the council and in alignment with the council's mission and 33
priorities. Federal funds obtained pursuant to this subsection shall 34
supplement the fee amounts collected pursuant to RCW 46.63.110(7)(c) 35
and shall be deposited into the traumatic brain injury account. The 36
department shall ensure that any federal funds received enhance, 37
rather than supplant, existing state funding dedicated to in-person 38
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support groups, community integration activities, and peer-to-peer 1
recovery initiatives. 2
(3) A minimum of 30 percent of the annual fee revenue collected 3
under RCW 46.63.110(7)(c) shall be used exclusively for:4
(a) Establishing and maintaining peer led and community-based in-5
person support groups for individuals with a traumatic brain injury 6
and their families;7
(b) Developing structured skills-building programs designed to 8
promote social integration and functional recovery for individuals of 9
all ages, including pediatric-focused initiatives;10
(c) Supporting initiatives that provide direct peer-to-peer 11
mentoring and navigation assistance for newly injured individuals and 12
their families, including hospital-to-community transition support; 13
and14
(d) Ensuring equitable access to support groups and community-15
based programs across urban and rural regions.16
(4) A portion of the traumatic brain injury account shall be 17
dedicated to organizing an annual conference focused on connecting 18
individuals impacted by traumatic brain injuries, enhancing 19
professional education, and promoting peer-to-peer support 20
initiatives. However, funds for the conference shall not be drawn 21
from the 30 percent allocation specified in subsection (3) of this 22
section.23
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