HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5605

As Amended by the House

BYSenators Peterson, Conner, Patterson, Rasmussen and Garrett; by request of Department of Licensing

Revising procedures for proportional vehicle registration.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (26)

      Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Brough, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Dellwo, Doty, Fisher, Gallagher, Hankins, Haugen, Heavey, Kremen, Meyers, Schmidt, C. Smith, D. Sommers, Spanel, Sutherland, Todd, Vekich, J. Williams, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Terry Michalson (786-7315)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 9, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Proportional registration (prorate) is an optional method of registration available only to fleets of commercial vehicles operating in interstate commerce.  Prorate is designed to cut the cost of licensing.  Instead of paying full license fees in each jurisdiction, the carrier pays only for miles traveled in each jurisdiction.

Laws relating to proportional registration of motor carriers can be found in four different chapters of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).  It would greatly simplify the state administration of proportional registration if all pertinent statutes were compiled in one chapter.

Some statutes relating to commercial carriers must be updated in order to be applicable to both the Uniform Registration, Prorate and Reciprocity Agreement (Western Compact) and the International Registration Plan (IRP).

Current law excludes corporations from the requirement that all vehicle owners must possess a valid driver's license before registering a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY:

All statutes relating to proportional registration of motor carriers are transferred to Chapter 46.87 RCW.

Exemption from licensing requirements prior to vehicle registration is extended to other businesses and proportionally registered vehicles.  Control of drivers of proportional vehicles is addressed in Title 12.

Additional provisions increase gross weight and specify credits for fees already paid.

Commercial vehicles registered through monthly tonnage are prohibited from buying one month's licensing fees, then operating the remainder of the year under the authority of trip permits in lieu of registration.

If a vehicle with a registered gross weight in excess of twelve thousand pounds is lost, destroyed, or sold, the owner may transfer the credit for the unused portion of the licensing fee, in lieu of maintaining the credit.

The collection of a $2 fee for each replacement backing plate, cab card, validation tab, or other device issued for proportionally registered vehicles is authorized.

The Uniform Registration, Prorate and Reciprocity Agreement (Western Compact) regulations are incorporated into the procedures for the International Registration Plan (IRP) and effective dates are established.  This chapter becomes effective beginning with the 1988 registration year; however, if Washington is not then registering vehicles under the provisions of the IRP, the effective date and implementation date for the IRP shall be delayed until Washington begins registering vehicles under the provisions of the IRP.

Provisions and terms of the Western Compact and the IRP shall prevail.

Beginning with the first registration year under provisions of the IRP, owners of a fleet of apportionable vehicles operating in two or more IRP member jurisdictions may elect to register the vehicles proportionally under the provisions of the IRP in lieu of full or temporary registration.

Owners of a fleet operating and registered in at least one Western Compact member jurisdiction other than Washington may elect to register the vehicles proportionally under the Western Compact provisions in lieu of full or temporary registration.

Reciprocity miles are included within the definition of in- jurisdiction miles.  Reciprocity miles, miles logged outside the state, will not be counted as Washington state miles for the purpose of registration.

The Department of Licensing (DOL) is to collect a transaction fee with a ceiling of $10, the exact amount to be established by rule to be deposited into the motor vehicle fund.  The transaction fee will be adjusted when DOL determines the amount needed to cover the cost of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) assessment for the automated system, Vista. 

Chapter 46.87 is designated the "Proportional Registration" chapter.

Penalties are established.  The operation of a vehicle after notification from the DOL that registration privileges have been suspended is a gross misdemeanor.

The Department of Licensing distributes 36 percent of the total fees collected when an IRP jurisdiction refuses to compute and separate Washington's excise tax from the other fees.

The authority for issuance of reciprocity plates is repealed; the International Registration Plan does not allow any other identification on foreign vehicles.

Section 1, requiring a valid driver's license before vehicle registration, takes effect January 1, 1990.  Sections 9, 10, 15 through 58 shall take effect on January l, 1988.

Fiscal Note:      No Impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Paul Downey, Department of Licensing; Martin Sangster, Washington Trucking Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    All laws relating to proportional registration of vehicles are unified under one chapter of the Revised Code of Washington, which will make the administration of such laws easier and will provide the citizens of this state a better understanding of proportional registration laws.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.