S-1471               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5794

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Hansen and Barr

Read first time 2/8/89 and referred to Committee on  Agriculture.

AN ACT Relating to motor vehicles; adding a new section to chapter 46.44 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 46.44 RCW to read as follows:

          The Washington state patrol shall certify the accuracy of all vehicle weighing devices and scales used to carry out its responsibilities.  Certification shall be done in accordance with procedures as set forth in Handbook 44 by the National Bureau of Standards.  Each scale shall be certified annually or as required for judicial or administrative purposes.  The chief of the Washington state patrol, in consultation with the director of agriculture, shall adopt such administrative rules as are necessary to carry out this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The Washington state patrol and the state department of transportation shall conduct a joint study on the future needs of vehicle weighing instruments and facilities.  The study shall consider advancing truck technology and provide for accurate weight measurement with a minimum disruption to the safe and efficient flow of traffic.  The study shall include, but not be limited to, state of the art weighing devices, suitable site locations, and adequate facilities.  The study shall be completed and a joint report, with recommendations, delivered to the legislative transportation committee by July 1990.