(1) Each public transportation benefit area that owns or operates a rail fixed guideway system as defined in RCW 81.104.015 shall submit a system safety program plan and a system security and emergency preparedness plan for that guideway to the state department of transportation by September 1, 1999, or at least one hundred eighty calendar days before beginning operations or instituting revisions to its plans. These plans must describe the public transportation benefit area's procedures for (a) reporting and investigating reportable accidents, unacceptable hazardous conditions, and security breaches, (b) submitting corrective action plans and annual safety and security audit reports, (c) facilitating on-site safety and security reviews by the state department of transportation, and (d) addressing passenger and employee security. The plans must, at a minimum, conform to the standards adopted by the state department of transportation. If required by the department, the public transportation benefit area shall revise its plans to incorporate the department's review comments within sixty days after their receipt, and resubmit its revised plans for review.

     (2) Each public transportation benefit area shall implement and comply with its system safety program plan and system security and emergency preparedness plan. The public transportation benefit area shall perform internal safety and security audits to evaluate its compliance with the plans, and submit its audit schedule to the department of transportation no later than December 15th each year. The public transportation benefit area shall prepare an annual report for its internal safety and security audits undertaken in the prior year and submit it to the department no later than February 15th. This annual report must include the dates the audits were conducted, the scope of the audit activity, the audit findings and recommendations, the status of any corrective actions taken as a result of the audit activity, and the results of each audit in terms of the adequacy and effectiveness of the plans.

     (3) Each public transportation benefit area shall notify the department of transportation within two hours of an occurrence of a reportable accident, unacceptable hazardous condition, or security breach. The department may adopt rules further defining a reportable accident, unacceptable hazardous condition, or security breach. The public transportation benefit area shall investigate all reportable accidents, unacceptable hazardous conditions, or security breaches and provide a written investigation report to the department within forty-five calendar days after the reportable accident, unacceptable hazardous condition, or security breach.

     (4) The system security and emergency preparedness plan required in subsection (1)(d) of this section is exempt from public disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW. However, the system safety program plan as described in this section is not subject to this exemption.

[2007 c 422 § 5; 2005 c 274 § 271; 1999 c 202 § 5.]

NOTES:

     Part headings not law -- Effective date -- 2005 c 274: See RCW 42.56.901 and 42.56.902.

     Effective date -- 1999 c 202: See note following RCW 35.21.228.