SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6787

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Transportation, February 8, 2000

Title:  An act relating to penalties for violation of vehicle weight restrictions.

Brief Description:  Increasing vehicle weight violation penalties.

Sponsors:  Senators Haugen and Gardner.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/1/2000, 2/8/2000 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6787 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Benton, Costa, Eide, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Oke, Prentice, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Michelle Chase (786-7305)

Background:  Operation of an overweight or oversize vehicle without obtaining the proper permits is a traffic infraction.  The penalty for this infraction is based on the number of violations and the number of pounds the vehicle is overweight.  The revenues generated by these penalties go to local government and the public safety and education account.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Existing law is amended and:

(1)An additional fine in the amount of 30 percent of the existing fines is assessed if the violator=s vehicle is 15 percent or more over its legal weight and these additional funds are deposited into the motor vehicle fund; and

(2)Violators are required to obtain the necessary special permits for overweight vehicles and, as an additional penalty, the court may, in its discretion, impose an additional fine in an amount equal to the cost of the proper permit.  This additional penalty must be deposited into the motor vehicle fund.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The application of additional 30 percent fines is limited to violators who exceed the weight limits by 15 percent or more.  The additional penalty in the amount of the permit fee is made discretionary.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  With concerns:  It is appropriate for funds generated by overweight violations to go to the motor vehicle fund to help pay for damage to the roads caused by overweight vehicles.  Concerns were expressed about the amount of the increase of the fines.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  John Woodring, Washington Trucking Association (pro w/concerns).