SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5639

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Transportation, February 27, 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:  Senators Prentice, Eide, McDonald, Haugen, Patterson and Horn; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/21/01, 2/27/01 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

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

Staff:  Jennifer Strus (786‑7484)

Background:  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, the driver=s insurance carrier or a carrier to whom the driver has applied, and an alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency to which the driver has applied for treatment.  The release of the abstract may be released to certain persons or entities only under strict statutory restrictions. Violation of the release requirements is a gross misdemeanor.

Summary of Bill:  Violation of the restrictions surrounding the release of a driving record abstract is a class C felony.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The Department of Licensing (DOL) conducted an investigation of its service bureaus to determine how many were complying with the statutes regarding release of driving record abstracts.  89 percent were not complying with the law or DOL contracts.  Increasing the penalty for misuse of abstracts will serve to encourage the service bureaus to comply.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Denise Movius, Dept. of Licensing.