HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 6565

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

(As Amended by House)

Authorizes motorcycles to be stopped or parked at an angle to the curb or edge of a highway where parking is permitted, unless a local jurisdiction prohibits it and has posted signage indicating that angled parking is prohibited.
Permits more than one motorcycle to occupy a parking space provided they remain within the boundaries of the parking space.
Clarifies that motor vehicle parking laws apply to each motorcycle parked in a parking space to the same extent they apply to a single motor vehicle parked in a single parking space.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 30 members: Representatives Fey, Chair; Wylie, 1st Vice Chair; Slatter, 2nd Vice Chair; Valdez, 2nd Vice Chair; Barkis, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Young, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boehnke, Chambers, Chapman, Dent, Doglio, Duerr, Entenman, Eslick, Goehner, Gregerson, Irwin, Kloba, Lovick, McCaslin, Mead, Orcutt, Ortiz-Self, Paul, Ramos, Riccelli, Shewmake, Van Werven and Volz.

Background:

Where vehicle parking is permitted and there is no local law permitting angled parking, vehicles stopped or parked on a two-way roadway must park with their right-hand wheels parallel to the curb and within 12 inches of the right-hand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder. Vehicles stopped or parked on a one-way roadway must park in this same manner and in the direction of traffic, unless otherwise specified by local ordinance.

Local authorities may permit angled parking on any roadway, with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) approval required if the roadway is a federal-aid or state highway.

Summary of Amended Bill:

Where vehicle parking is permitted, every motorcycle stopped or parked on a highway may be stopped or parked parallel to or at an angle to the curb or edge of the highway, with at least one wheel or fender within 12 inches of the curb nearest to the motorcycle, or as close as is practical to the edge of the shoulder nearest to the motorcycle (WSDOT approval is not required for motorcycles to park at an angle if the highway is a federal-aid or state highway). A motorcycle may not be parked in a manner that results in the motorcycle extending into the roadway.

A county, city, or town may prohibit the angled stopping or parking of a motorcycle by ordinance. For angled stopping or parking to be prohibited at a location, visible signage must be posted at that location to provide notice of the prohibition.

More than one motorcycle may occupy a parking space, provided that the motorcycles in the parking space remain within the boundaries of that parking space.

Motor vehicle parking laws apply to each motorcycle parked in a parking space to the same extent that motor vehicle parking laws apply to a single motor vehicle parked in a single parking space. Proof must be displayed by all parked motorcycles when proof of payment is required of a motor vehicle parking at a given location. However, payment may not be required multiple times for the use of the same parking space by multiple motorcycles during the same period of time when a parking space is metered.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill authorizes the parking of motorcycles the way motorcyclists have been parking them for years. Motorcyclists did not realize this parking method was not legal. Right now, law enforcement is enforcing this parking law selectively. The bill is a common-sense piece of legislation.

This is a safety issue. In areas where there are hills, such as Tacoma, parking at an angle is the only safe way to park a motorcycle. A motorcycle cannot be parked parallel to the curb in some instances based on where the motorcycle's kick stand is and the geometry of certain roadways—it would fall over. When motorcycles park in the manner authorized in the bill, it also frees up space for other vehicles to park.

This bill has been introduced three years in a row and needs to finally be passed. It has bipartisan support. Those testifying on the bill are all volunteers and have come each year to testify, paying their own way to do so. If the bill does not pass, these volunteers will need to return to testify once again.

(Opposed) None.