SENATE BILL REPORT
HB 1431
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 3, 1991
Brief Description: Updating the Model Traffic Ordinance.
SPONSORS:Representatives R. Fisher, R. Meyers and Betrozoff.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Nelson, Vice Chairman; von Reichbauer, Vice Chairman; Conner, Erwin, Madsen, Oke, Sellar, Skratek, Snyder, Thorsness, and Vognild.
Staff: Brian McMorrow (786‑7304)
Hearing Dates:April 3, 1991
BACKGROUND:
The Washington Model Traffic Ordinance (MTO), enacted in 1975, is a listing of all state traffic laws which are applicable to a municipality, and can be adopted by reference by any local authority to serve as its local traffic ordinance. A local authority may adopt the MTO in full or in part, and may at any time exclude any section or sections it does not wish to include in its local laws. It is a service that three-fourths of the cities and over half of the counties in the state subscribe to.
New legislative enactments that relate to the regulation of traffic and motor vehicles within a municipality should be incorporated into the MTO. Including these statutes by reference in the Model Ordinance allows the cities, towns and counties which have adopted the MTO to enforce these laws without having to enact separate ordinances for each one.
If a municipality desires to implement a new traffic law prior to legislative passage of the updated MTO, then it must enact its own local ordinance compatible with the state law.
SUMMARY:
The Model Traffic Ordinance is updated to include the laws passed during the 1989 and 1990 sessions relating to traffic and motor vehicles.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: none requested
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately, except section 2 which takes effect April 1, 1992.
TESTIMONY FOR: None
TESTIMONY AGAINST: None
TESTIFIED: No one