H-1663.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1953

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representative Appelwick.

Read first time February 15, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.Increasing minimum bonding requirements for taxis.

     AN ACT Relating to minimum bonding requirements for for hire vehicle operators; and amending RCW 46.72.040.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 46.72.040 and 1973 c 15 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     Before a permit is issued every for hire operator shall be required to deposit and thereafter keep on file with the director a surety bond running to the state of Washington covering each and every for hire vehicle as may be owned or leased by him and used in the conduct of his business as a for hire operator.  Such bond shall be in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars for any recovery for death or personal injury by one person, and ((three)) five hundred thousand dollars for all persons killed or receiving personal injury by reason of one act of negligence, and ((twenty-five)) fifty thousand dollars for damage to property of any person other than the assured, with a good and sufficient surety company licensed to do business in this state as surety and to be approved by the director, conditioned for the faithful compliance by the principal of said bond with the provisions of this chapter, and to pay all damages which may be sustained by any person injured by reason of any careless negligence or unlawful act on the part of said principal, his agents or employees in the conduct of said business or in the operation of any motor propelled vehicle used in transporting passengers for compensation on any public highway of this state.