HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 585

BYRepresentatives Nutley, Peery, Sutherland, Cooper, L. Smith, Walk and P. King 

Clarifying residency and nonresidency status for vehicle registration purposes.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (29)

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

House Staff:Terry Michalson (786-7315)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION MARCH 5, 1987

BACKGROUND:

For the purposes of vehicle registration residency status may be established in a variety of ways.  A person is a resident if he or she 1) owns a licensable vehicle which is present within the state for six months of any continuous twelve-month period; 2) resides within the state for more than six months in any continuous twelve months; 3) registers to vote in the state; or 4) receives benefits under one of the Washington public assistance programs.  Residency of the state can also be established when obtaining a state license or resident state tuition.

New residents of the state are directed to register vehicles with the Department of Licensing.

Under the authority for reciprocity, provisions have been enacted to permit nonresident persons to operate vehicles licensed in other jurisdictions for a period of 180 days.  A nonresident person who is employed in Washington is permitted to operate a vehicle licensed outside the state for more than 180 days.  There is also a provision which permits the operation of a vehicle licensed in another jurisdiction when used for business purposes and when the vehicle is not owned or operated by a business or branch office within Washington.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The term resident is defined as a person who manifests an intent to live or be located within the state on more than a temporary basis as evidenced by registering to vote, receiving benefits from a Washington public assistance program, or obtaining a state license or resident rate tuition fees or other evidence which indicates an intent to establish permanent residency within the state.  A "Washington assistance program", as evidence of residency, means that more than 50 percent of the cost of benefits and administration of the program is provided from state funds.

New residents of the state have 30 days from the date of residency in the state to acquire Washington registration for their vehicle.

Persons who are not residents and not employed in the state may operate a vehicle, properly licensed in another jurisdiction, no longer than six months in any continuous twelve-month period.  Persons who are not residents of the state but are employed in the state may operate vehicles of 12,000 pounds gross weight or less currently licensed in another jurisdiction, provided that no permanent or temporary residency is maintained in the state for a period more than six months in any continuous twelve-month period.

Vehicles of 12,000 pounds gross weight or less which are properly licensed in another jurisdiction may be operated within the state without registration in Washington when the vehicle is registered in the licensing jurisdiction.

Purchasers of vehicles having foreign license plates must remove and destroy the vehicle's license plates unless required to return the plates to the owner, the jurisdiction issuing the plates, or for other reasons deemed appropriate by the Department of Licensing.

License plate frames are permitted to be used on vehicles registered and licensed in the state provided they do not obscure any identifying number, letter or license tab and further provided that the frame, holder or other material which may be used does not make the plates illegible.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  References to residing within the state for a period of more than six months in any twelve-month period is deleted from the definition of resident and the criteria used to determine residency is changed to evidence of residency.

The period of time allowed to new residents to register their vehicles is changed from 60 days to 30 days.

Exemptions for vehicle registration on vehicles used by nonresidents employed and nonresidents not employed in the state using vehicles licensed in other jurisdictions are rewritten.

The provisions concerning disposal of the foreign license plates and license plate frames are added.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Representative Nutley; Anders Tronsen, citizen; Hugh Williams, volunteer, Washington State Patrol Fraud Section.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     This is an important step to insure vehicles used by new residents are registered and licensed for use in a proper and timely fashion in this state.  The state loses an unknown amount in excise taxes, license fees and use taxes because of loopholes in the present statute, thus financially impacting the taxpayers of the state.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.