FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1660

                                  C 227 L 88

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Meyers, Walk, Vekich, S. Wilson, Gallagher, Fisher, Hankins, Cantwell, Cooper, Day and Unsoeld)

Establishing a motorcycle skills program.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The motorcycle safety education program is a nationally accredited program run by the Department of Licensing (DOL).  The DOL contracts with certified instructors who must teach a minimum of one class per year to maintain their teaching eligibility.

Two classes are offered; one for advanced riders and one for novice riders.  The advanced class is eight hours and the novice class is sixteen.  The cost of the classes varies from $60 to $125 depending upon where the classes are taught.  DOL determines how much may be charged by the instructors, who keep the fees paid to them by the students.

State expenditures are for the cost of books, program administration, and insurance for students while they are in the class.

Only motorcyclists 18 and under are required to take a motorcycle safety class, although the classes are open to, and recommended for, all motorcyclists.  About 1.5 percent of all motorcyclists have taken either class.

SUMMARY:

The cost of both the novice and advanced motorcycle safety courses is standardized and reduced to $30.  The real cost of the courses vary from $60 to $125 statewide, but these costs will be subsidized by the state.  The state subsidy will be paid for by a $1 increase in the cost of motorcycle endorsement fees.

Motorcycle safety instructors are required to teach a minimum of three classes per year in order to maintain their teaching eligibility.  The course must be a minimum of eight hours but no longer than sixteen.

The Department of Licensing is required to submit a detailed statistical report each biennium to the Legislative Transportation Committee including information on actual expenditures compared to budgeted expenditures, current and historical enrollments and number of courses taught.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 97   0

      Senate    48     1 (Senate amended)

      House 95   0 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1988