HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 1989

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                               Transportation

Title:  An act relating to violations of vehicle size and weight restrictions.

Brief Description:  Changing penalties for vehicle size or weight load limit violations.

Sponsor(s):  Representative Jones.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, March 5, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; R. Meyers, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Brough; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; G. Fisher; Forner; Haugen; Heavey; Horn; P. Johnson; R. Johnson; Jones; Kremen; Mitchell; Nelson; Orr; Prentice; Schmidt; Wilson; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Roger Horn (786-7839).

Background:  The State Patrol is responsible for enforcing laws pertaining to truck size and weight for vehicles using state highways.  A portion of the fines and assessments collected by the courts from violators of these laws is submitted to the state treasurer and deposited in the state's Public Safety and Education Account (PSEA).  Revenue is appropriated from the PSEA for several purposes specified in statute, including traffic safety education, highway safety, criminal justice training, crime victims' compensation, judicial education, the judicial information system, winter recreation parking, and state game programs.

Since the PSEA was established in 1985, no revenue has been appropriated for commercial vehicle enforcement.  The state's share of revenue from truck weight and load violations is estimated at $2 million for the 1991-93 biennium.

Summary of Bill:  The state's share of revenue collected from violators of truck weight and size laws is deposited in the State Patrol Highway Account to be used for commercial vehicle enforcement programs.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This measure would enhance the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the State Patrol.  Revenue would be used to help keep interior scales open 24 hours per day.

Testimony Against:  The bill would be contrary to the intent of the Court Improvement Act of 1984 which eliminated the dedication of court revenue for special purposes.  The bill would open the door for other agencies to earmark revenue.  The administrator for the courts concurs with the recommendation of an OFM interim study that there be a coordinated review of how PSEA revenues are used.

Witnesses:  Tim Erickson, Washington State Patrol (pro); and Janet McLane, Administrator for the Courts (con).