---
type: "Bill"
title: "Modifying the infraction of and penalties for distracted driving."
description: "Modifying the infraction of and penalties for distracted driving."
jurisdiction: "us/states/wa"
legislature: "Washington Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "SB 5289"
citation: "Washington SB 5289 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["COMPUTERS", "TRAFFIC OFFENSES", "TELECOMMUNICATIONS"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Rivers"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 40
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2017-01-19"
last_action: "2017-05-16"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/40c01a1a-2ab7-484b-a445-bfc3acc2f9b7"
source_url: "http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5289&year=2017"
source_hash: "d1be5def04298558d2d5f4e0b0da0d4f360532deaa629a2b998c4582ccf323e5"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wa"]
---

# Washington SB 5289 (2017-2018) — Modifying the infraction of and penalties for distracted driving.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5289.htm)
2. **Substitute Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Biennium/2017-18/Htm/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5289-S.htm)

## Votes

- Final Passage as Amended by the House (#5) — **63–35** (pass) · lower
- Final Passage as Amended by the House (#18) — **39–10** (pass) · upper
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#31) — **36–13** (pass) · upper
- Final Passage as Amended by the House (#5) — **61–36** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Rivers — primary (person)
- Carlyle — cosponsor (person)
- Kuderer — cosponsor (person)
- Liias — cosponsor (person)
- Miloscia — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-01-19** First reading, referred to Transportation. `reading-1`
- **2017-02-21** TRAN - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2017-02-21** Minority; do not pass.
- **2017-02-21** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2017-02-23** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2017-03-02** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2017-03-06** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2017-02-21** TRAN - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass. `passage`
- **2017-02-21** Minority; do not pass.
- **2017-02-21** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2017-02-23** Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- **2017-03-02** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2017-03-06** 1st substitute bill substituted. `substitution`
- **2017-03-06** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2017-03-06** Third reading, passed; yeas, 36; nays, 13; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2017-03-08** First reading, referred to Transportation (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report). `reading-1`
- **2017-04-04** TR - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
- **2017-04-04** Minority; do not pass.
- **2017-04-04** Minority; without recommendation.
- **2017-04-04** Referred to Rules 2 Review.
- **2017-04-07** Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- **2017-04-12** Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- **2017-04-12** Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.
- **2017-04-12** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2017-04-12** Third reading, passed; yeas, 63; nays, 35; absent, 0; excused, 0. `reading-3`
- **2017-04-18** Senate refuses to concur in House amendments. Asks House to recede from amendments.
- **2017-04-19** House receded from amendments.
- **2017-04-19** Rules suspended.
- **2017-04-19** Returned to second reading for amendment.
- **2017-04-19** Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- **2017-04-19** Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- **2017-04-19** Third reading, passed; yeas, 61; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 1. `reading-3`
- **2017-04-19** Senate concurred in House amendments.
- **2017-04-19** Passed final passage; yeas, 39; nays, 10; absent, 0; excused, 0. `passage`
- **2017-04-20** President signed. `passage`
- **2017-04-20** Speaker signed. `passage`
- **2017-04-21** Delivered to Governor.
- **2017-05-16** Governor partially vetoed. `executive-veto-line-item`
- **2017-05-16** Chapter 334, 2017 Laws PV. `became-law`
- **2017-05-16** Effective date 7/23/2017. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/40c01a1a-2ab7-484b-a445-bfc3acc2f9b7`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Washington legislature records).