The bill establishes a new section in chapter 47.79 RCW focused on prioritizing improvements to intercity passenger rail services in Washington, particularly the Amtrak Cascades route. It recognizes the importance of intercity rail as a key component of the state's transportation system, essential for achieving climate, public health, equity, and mobility goals. The legislature sets specific targets to be met by 2035, including reducing trip times between Seattle and Portland to 2 hours and 30 minutes with 14 roundtrips daily, and between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, to 2 hours and 45 minutes with 5 roundtrips daily, alongside a minimum on-time performance reliability of 88%.

The bill mandates that the Washington Department of Transportation prioritize these targets in its project development work, which includes infrastructure investments and coordination with rail partners. If the department identifies constraints that hinder achieving these targets, it is required to provide detailed explanations and potential mitigation strategies in its annual reports to the legislature. The department must report on its progress towards these targets by December 1st each year, ensuring transparency and accountability in the improvement of intercity passenger rail services.