S-196                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5354

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senators Kreidler, von Reichbauer and Bender

Read first time 1/26/87 and referred to Committee on  Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to driver's license qualifications; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The behavior of the individual motorist in a continuously changing driving environment is a key element in the complex problem of reducing highway crashes, injuries, and fatalities.  It is also clear that the state is responsible for granting driving privileges only to persons who demonstrate their ability and willingness to drive safely and in observance of the state's traffic laws.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     A driver qualifications review panel is created.  The house of representatives and the senate shall each appoint two members.  The chairperson of the legislative transportation committee shall designate the chair of the review panel.  The chair shall then select the other members of the panel to include representatives from the insurance industry, commercial drivers, local law enforcement officers, a senior citizens' organization, a senior driver training instructor, a physician, an optometrist, a traffic engineer, and a member of the medical advisory board to the department of licensing.  Agency officials from the department of licensing, the Washington state patrol, the utilities and transportation commission, and the traffic safety commission shall serve as ex officio members for reference and research purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The driver qualifications review panel shall review and evaluate driver licensing requirements of the department of licensing, giving special attention to medical and physical criteria and to the problems created by newly licensed drivers with unsafe driving records.  The review panel shall present its findings and recommendations to the legislative transportation committee by October 1, 1987, for action by the 1988 session of the legislature.  The review panel shall be dissolved on January 1, 1988.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 through 3 of this act shall expire on January 1, 1988.