HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     SHB 1703

                          As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to licensing and registration of vehicles and vessels.

Brief Description:  Revising regulation of vehicle and vessel licensing and registration.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Cooper, Betrozoff and R. Johnson; by request of Department of Licensing).

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, March 4, 1991, DPS;

Passed House, March 18, 1991, 95-0;

Amended by Senate.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1703 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; R. Meyers, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brough; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; G. Fisher; Forner; Haugen; Heavey; Horn; P. Johnson; R. Johnson; Jones; Kremen; Mitchell; Nelson; Orr; Prentice; Prince; Schmidt; Wilson; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Louise Bray Sandison (786-7322).

Background:  The Department of Licensing (DOL) administers vehicle and vessel title and registration programs, as well as programs relating to disabled parking.  Several housekeeping changes are needed to modernize archaic language, to correct internal inconsistencies and to bring statutes into line with current practice.

As a result of interim work with the Governor's Commission on Disability and new federal regulations, several changes to the disabled parking statutes are necessary.

Summary of Bill:  County auditors must retain vehicle records for 18 months rather than 36.

Language is clarified regarding the five-day notification period for a seller's report of sale.  The period does not include Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.

Under full-year registration, a grace period until the first day of the month following registration is no longer applicable.  Vehicles are registered on a day-to-day basis effective July 1, 1991.

Changes to the handicapped parking statutes reflect the final report of the Handicapped Parking Regulatory Negotiation Advisory Committee presented to the U.S. Department of Transportation for adoption.  The purpose of the final rule is to develop a uniform parking system for persons with disabilities.

Special parking privileges shall be granted to persons meeting the following criteria, as determined by a licensed physician:  cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest; is severely limited in ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition; cannot walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, another person, prosthetic device, or other assistive device; or uses portable oxygen or whose arterial oxygen is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest.

The Department of Licensing will issue removable windshield placards instead of both a placard and a decal.  Special disabled parking vehicle plates will be issued for one vehicle registered in the name of the disabled person.  If no plate is requested, the disabled person is entitled to two placards.

Several changes are made to correct technical errors.

Vessels registered in another state, which is the state of principal use, and documented vessels are exempt from registration in Washington.

A confidential vessel program is created to parallel the confidential vehicle program to enhance law enforcement efforts.

Vessel dealers must place deposits in excess of $1,000, or deposits of any amount to be held in excess of 14 days, into a trust account.

Vessel dealer trust account requirements are modified.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): Renewal of disabled parking privileges every five years is not required.

The penalty for unauthorized use of disabled parking placards or license plates is raised to a misdemeanor.

Subagents are granted a one year fee increase.  The Department of Licensing is required to review the costs and revenues of all vehicle licensing agents and subagents and the benefits provided to the communities they serve.  The department is to submit a report to the Legislative Transportation Committee by January 15, 1992.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This is a housekeeping measure to eliminate archaic language and to correct errors in current law.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Nancy Kelly, Department of Licensing; Nancy Wuerth, Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment; James Buck, Washington County Auditors Association; Jack Swanberg, Northwest Marine Trade Association; and Heather Hamilton, Department of Licensing.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Yeas 95; Excused 3

Excused:  Representatives Locke, SIlver, Wineberry