H-4092

AN ACT Relating to vehicle licensing and registration activities; amending RCW 46.01.140; adding new sections to chapter 46.01 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 46.68 RCW.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 46.01.140 and 1991 c 339 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The county auditor, if appointed by the director of licensing shall carry out the provisions of this title relating to the licensing of vehicles and the issuance of vehicle license number plates under the direction and supervision of the director and may with the approval of the director appoint assistants as special deputies ((~~and subagents~~)) to accept applications and collect fees for vehicle licenses and transfers and to deliver vehicle license number plates. A county auditor appointed by the director may recommend to the director the appointment of subagents of the county auditor for vehicle licensing and registration activities. The director has final appointment authority.

(a) The director shall provide a standard contract that shall be entered into by any county auditor who is appointed as an agent by the department.

(b) The director shall provide a standard contract to county auditors that shall be entered into between the county auditors and any subagents within the county.

(i) Describe the responsibilities, and where applicable, the liability, of each party relating to the service expectations and levels, ownership of equipment, and equipment maintenance;

(ii) Require the specific type of insurance or bonds so that the state is protected against any loss of collected motor vehicle tax revenues or loss of equipment;

(iii) Specify the amount of training that will be provided by the state or the county auditor;

(iv) Describe allowable costs that may be charged to motor vehicle licensing activities as provided for in section 3 of this act;

(v) Describe the causes and procedures for termination of the contract.

(d) The contracts may include any provision that the director deems necessary to ensure acceptable service and the full collection of motor vehicle tax revenues.

(e) The director may waive any provisions deemed necessary in order to ensure that readily accessible service is provided to the citizens of the state.

(2) At any time any application is made to the director, the county auditor, or other agent pursuant to any law dealing with licenses, registration, or the right to operate any vehicle upon the public highways of this state, excluding applicants already paying such fee under RCW 46.16.070 or 46.16.085, the applicant shall pay to the director, county auditor, or other agent a fee of two dollars for each application in addition to any other fees required by law. Applicants for certificates of ownership, including applicants paying fees under RCW 46.16.070 or 46.16.085, shall pay to the director, county auditor, or other agent a fee of three dollars in addition to any other fees required by law. These fees, if paid to the county auditor as agent of the director, or if paid to a subagent of the county auditor, shall be paid to the county treasurer in the same manner as other fees collected by the county auditor and credited to the county current expense fund. If the fee is paid to another agent of the director, the fee shall be used by the agent to defray his or her expenses in handling the application.

(3) ((A)) An agent or subagent ((~~is entitled to an additional service charge of two dollars. However, from July 1, 1991, through June 30, 1992, subagents~~)) shall collect a service fee of (a) five dollars and fifty cents for changes in a certificate of ownership, with or without registration renewal, or verification of record and preparation of an affidavit of lost title other than at the time of the title application or transfer and (b) two dollars and twenty-five cents for registration renewal only, issuing a transit permit, or any other service under this section. The additional fee under (b) of this subsection shall not be charged on renewals done by mail, and expires on June 30, 1995.

(4) An agent shall remit a service fee collected under subsection (3) of this section to the department for deposit into the department of licensing services account of the motor vehicle fund. However, the department shall develop procedures whereby counties that do not cover their expenses of motor vehicle licensing activities may keep all or part of the service fee provided for in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) If the fee is collected by the state patrol as agent for the director, the fee so collected shall be certified to the state treasurer and deposited to the credit of the state patrol highway account. If the fee is collected by the department of transportation as agent for the director, the fee shall be certified to the state treasurer and deposited to the credit of the motor vehicle fund. All such fees collected by the director or branches of his office shall be certified to the state treasurer and deposited to the credit of the highway safety fund.

(6) Any county revenues that exceed the cost of providing motor vehicle licensing activities in a county, calculated in accordance with the procedures in section 2 of this act, shall be used exclusively for transportation purposes under RCW 82.80.070, motor vehicle licensing activities of the county auditor, and traffic enforcement activities of the county sheriff.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 46.01 RCW to read as follows:

The department shall develop procedures that will standardize and prescribe allowable costs that may be assigned to motor vehicle licensing activities performed by county auditors and subagents.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 46.01 RCW to read as follows:

The title and registration advisory committee is created within the department. The committee consists of the director, who shall serve as chair, the assistant director for vehicle services, the administrator of title and registration services, two members from each of the house and senate transportation committees, two county auditors, and two subagents. The committee shall meet at least twice a year, and may meet as often as is necessary.

The committee's purpose is to foster communication between the legislature, the department, county auditors, and subagents. The committee shall make recommendations when requested by the legislative transportation committee, or on its own initiative, about revisions to fee structures and implications of fee revisions on cost sharing.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 46.68 RCW to read as follows:

The department of licensing services account is created in the motor vehicle fund. All receipts from service fees received under RCW 46.01.140(4) shall be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for information and service systems for the department.