Washington legislation · 2025-26 Regular Session
Washington HB1537: Roadway safety account use
Status: Passed one chamber, January 12, 2026
Expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads.
What the bill says
An act Relating to expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads; amending RCW 46.09.540; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. NEW SECTION.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT Relating to expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads; amending RCW 46.09.540; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the green dot roads system has existed for more than half a century and has been a vital network for on and off-road recreational travel. While in the 1980s almost 1,000 miles of green dot roads came under the jurisdiction of what are now the departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife, insufficient funding has meant that the roads have not been sufficiently maintained over time. (2) The legislature finds that cities or towns that have enacted ordinances that authorize the travel of wheeled all-terrain vehicles on their roadways should be eligible for funding assistance to promote safety, signage, education, and enforcement of laws relating to the operation of wheeled all-terrain vehicles within their jurisdictions. (3) The legislature, therefore, intends to expand access to funds in the multiuse roadway safety account under RCW 46.09.540 by making the departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife eligible for interagency transfers from the department of transportation …
Sponsors
- Andrew Barkis (R) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : House Rules "X" file.
- : By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- : By resolution, returned to House Rules Committee for third reading.
- : Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- : First reading, referred to Transportation.
- : Third reading, passed; yeas, 97; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1.
- : Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- : Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- : Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- : TR - Majority; do pass.
Votes
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (March 4, 2025): 97 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Transportation: Do pass (February 6, 2025): 27 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: SPORTS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS
Common questions
- What is HB1537?
- HB1537 is a bill in the Washington Legislature (2025-26 Regular Session): Roadway safety account use.
- What does HB1537 do?
- In its own words: An act Relating to expanding access to funding from the multiuse roadway safety account for eligible cities and for the Washington state departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife for maintenance and guidance of motorized recreation on green dot roads; amending RCW 46.09.540; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency. NEW SECTION.
- What is the status of HB1537?
- Passed one chamber as of January 12, 2026. Latest action: House Rules "X" file. (January 12, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB1537?
- Andrew Barkis (R).
- Where is the official record for HB1537?
- On the Washington Legislature website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1537&Year=2025
Source: official Washington record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.