S-0714.1
SENATE BILL 5704
State of Washington
64th Legislature
2015 Regular Session
By Senators Billig, Benton, Fain, Liias, Hobbs, and Mullet
Read first time 01/29/15. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to proof of financial responsibility to operate a motor vehicle; adding new sections to chapter 48.02 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.02 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The commissioner shall establish a random sampling program to determine if registered vehicle owners meet the financial responsibility requirements to operate a vehicle as required in RCW 46.30.020.
(2) The commissioner shall select no more than three percent of registered vehicles per year in monthly increments and send the registered owner of each vehicle selected a form requesting that the owner provide proof of financial responsibility to operate a vehicle as required in RCW 46.30.020 for a randomly selected date during the last registration period.
(3) If the registered owner fails to provide proof of financial responsibility to operate a vehicle as required in RCW 46.30.020, as requested by the commissioner, within forty-five days of the date shown on the request, the registered owner must be assessed a penalty of fifty dollars to be collected before the registered owner may renew the vehicle registration.
(4) Any person who knowingly provides false evidence of financial responsibility to the office of the insurance commissioner, including an expired or canceled insurance policy, bond, or certificate of deposit, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(5) The commissioner shall administer and collect the fifty dollar penalty. The commissioner shall deduct an amount equal to the administration and collection expenses. The commissioner shall deposit any remaining proceeds under this subsection to the financial responsibility education account created in section 2 of this act for use in public information campaigns to educate the public regarding the financial responsibility requirements under this chapter and chapter 46.30 RCW.
(6) The department of licensing must provide information and support as deemed necessary by the commissioner.
(7) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to administer this section.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.02 RCW to read as follows:
The financial responsibility education account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. After the deduction of administration and collection expenses incurred by the commissioner, all receipts from the fifty dollar penalty imposed under section 1 of this act must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for public information campaigns to educate the public regarding the financial responsibility requirements under chapters 46.29 and 46.30 RCW. Only the commissioner or the commissioner's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
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