1999 AMS TRAN SIMP 070

Offered by Senator Jacobsen

HB 1999 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Transportation

ADOPTED 4/13/05

On page 2, after line 19, insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 46.63 RCW to read as follows:

(1) In the event a traffic infraction is based on a vehicle's identification, and the registered owner of the vehicle is a rental car business, the law enforcement agency shall, before a notice of infraction may be issued, provide a written notice to the rental car business that a notice of infraction may be issued to the rental car business if the rental car business does not, within thirty days of receiving the written notice, provide to the issuing agency by return mail:

(a) A statement under oath stating the name and known mailing address of the individual driving or renting the vehicle when the infraction occurred; or

(b) A statement under oath that the business is unable to determine who was driving or renting the vehicle at the time the infraction occurred.

Timely mailing of this statement to the issuing law enforcement agency relieves a rental car business of any liability under this chapter for the notice of infraction. In lieu of identifying the vehicle operator, the rental car business may pay the applicable penalty.

(2) For the purpose of this section, a "traffic infraction based on a vehicle's identification" includes, but is not limited to, parking infractions, high-occupancy toll lane violations, and violations recorded by automated traffic safety cameras."

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EFFECT: Establishes procedures under which a rental car business may address certain traffic infractions that occurred while a business's vehicle was being rented.