HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2629

                    As Amended by Senate

Title:  An act relating to junk vehicles.

Brief Description:  Revising the definition of junk vehicle.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives R. Fisher, Appelwick, Campbell, Sommers, Edmondson and Dorn).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 1, 1994, DPS;

  Passed House, February 10, 1994, 70-25;

  Amended by Senate.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 22 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Mielke, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Brough; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Finkbeiner; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; R. Meyers; Orr; Patterson; Romero; Sheldon; Wood and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 5 members:  Representatives Forner; Fuhrman; Hansen; Quall and Shin.

Staff:  Brad Lovaas (786-7307).

Background:  In order for a vehicle to meet the statutory definition of a "junk vehicle," it must meet five requirements.  Those requirements include that the vehicle:  (1) is three years old or older; (2) is extensively damaged; (3) is apparently inoperable; (4) is without a valid, current registration plate; and (5) has an approximate fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it.

Summary of Bill:  This legislation changes the definition of a junk vehicle in two ways.  First, it deletes the requirement that a vehicle must be without a valid, current registration plate.  Secondly, it requires that a vehicle meet only three of the four remaining criteria in order to be classified as a junk vehicle by law enforcement. 

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The Senate amendment provides that law enforcement officers writing a traffic infraction for an abandoned vehicle shall send a copy of the infraction notice to the last known address of the registered owner by certified mail.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will allow for disposal of truly junk vehicles.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Gary Pedersen, City of Tacoma; Darlena Gray, Hilltop Action Coalition; Carl Turner, City of Tacoma; Jack Pleasant, Hilltop citizen; Stuart Halsan, Washington Tow Truck Association; and Mike Torbert, Able Auto Wrecking.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Yeas 70; Nays 25; Excused 3

Nays:  Representatives Backlund, Ballard, Bray, Casada, Chandler, Cooke, Foreman, Forner, Fuhrman, Hansen, Long, Mastin, McMorris, Padden, Quall, Schoesler, Sehlin, Sheahan, Silver, Stevens, Tate, B. Thomas, L. Thomas, Van Luven, Wood

Excused:  Representatives Dunshee, Mielke, Riley