HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1270

                    As Amended by Senate

Title:  An act relating to farm vehicle exceptions to commercial driver's license requirements.

Brief Description:  Excusing small tree harvesters from the commercial driver's license requirements.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Morris, Benton, Sheldon, Pennington, Basich, Chappell, Kessler, Schoesler, Boldt, Hatfield, Stevens and Johnson).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/6/95, 2/15/95 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/25/95, 97-0.

Senate Amended.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 23 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Benton, Vice Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Skinner, Vice Chairman; R. Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Hatfield, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; Koster; McMahan; Ogden; Patterson; Quall; Robertson; Romero; D. Schmidt and Scott.

Staff:  Brian McMorrow (786-7304).

Background:  A driver of a commercial vehicle must obtain a commercial driver's license with an endorsement for the type of vehicle he or she is driving.  The law exempts farmers who use their own vehicles to transport their agricultural products or farm-related materials distances less than 150 miles from their farms.  It also exempts drivers of emergency vehicles and recreational vehicles used for noncommercial purposes.

Summary of Bill:  Farmers who haul Christmas trees and wood products from their own private tree farm need not obtain a commercial driver's license.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):

The amendment limits the weight of the vehicle transporting Christmas trees and wood products to 40,000 pounds licensed gross vehicle weight.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  Farmers should not have to apply for a commercial driver's license to occasionally haul trees that have blown down on their land.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jack Schumacher, Washington Farm Forestry Association (pro); Bob Leichner, Washington State Patrol (pro with amendment); Nels Hanson, Washington Farm Forestry Association (pro); and Greg Hanon, Washington Christmas Tree Growers (pro with amendment).

Votes on Final Passage:

Yeas 97; Excused 1

Excused:  Dellwo