SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 1567

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Transportation, March 22, 2001

Title:  An act relating to penalties for the misuse of abstracts of driving records.

Brief Description:  Increasing the penalty for the misuse of abstracts of driving records.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Fisher, Hankins, Lovick and Mitchell; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  3/22/01 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Benton, Eide, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kastama, McAuliffe, McDonald, Oke, Prentice, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Jennifer Strus (786‑7484)

Background:  Full driving record abstracts can be provided by the Department of Licensing only to the individual named in the abstract, an employer or prospective employer of the individual and city or county prosecutors.  A partial abstract may be released to specified insurance companies and alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies approved by the Department of Social and Health Services.

Persons requesting the abstract, other than the individual named in the abstract, must not give any information contained in the abstract to a third party.  If someone other than the individual named in the abstract releases this information, he or she is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Summary of Bill:  It is a class C felony to misuse the abstract of a person's driving record.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  DOL has had difficulty with its service bureaus improperly releasing driver abstracts.  Raising the penalty for misuse should assist with compliance.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Denise Movius, DOL (pro).