In a surprise line item veto, Governor Inslee struck the January 1, 2019 effective date of HB 1614 and signed it into law.  That makes the new law effective 90 days after his signature--approximately July 26, 2017!  

The new law expands the scope of existing prohibitions on using electronics while driving.  In general, use of any handheld device is severely restricted anytime a vehicle is on a roadway.  That includes stop lights, intersections, and stopped traffic.    The hope is that we can deter some drivers (particularly young drivers) from using electronics and reduce the massive increase in roadway collisions due to distracted driving.   The full text of the legislative bill (without veto language) is here  

Bravo!