HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2518

                      As Passed House:

                      February 5, 1996

Title:  An act relating to penalties for speed infractions in school or playground zones.

Brief Description:  Doubling the fine for speeding in school or playground zones.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Skinner, Blanton, Radcliff, Hankins, Delvin, Dickerson, Mitchell, Morris, Silver and Chandler).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/16/96, 1/17/96 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/5/96, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 27 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; Blanton; Brown; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Chopp; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; McMahan; Ogden; Patterson; Quall; Robertson; Romero; D. Schmidt; Scott; Sterk and Tokuda.

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786-7322).

Background:  Current law does not distinguish between speeding in school zones and speeding anywhere else on the road.  The base fines for exceeding the speed limit where the limit is less than 40 miles per hour (mph) are as follows:  1-5 mph over limit, $30; 6-10 mph over limit, $35; 11-15 mph over limit, $50; 16-20 mph over limit, $70; 21-25 mph over limit, $95; 26-30 mph over limit, $120; 31-35 mph over limit, $145; and 35+ mph over limit, $175.

It is a traffic infraction for a driver to disobey school patrol.  The fine is $80.

In 1994 the Legislature enacted laws to protect highway construction or maintenance workers by doubling the traffic fines for speeding in construction zones.

Summary of Bill:  Traffic fines are doubled for persons guilty of speeding in school or playground zones.  These fines may not be waived, reduced or suspended.  The increase in fines is deposited in a new account, the school zone safety account.  The Traffic Safety Commission will provide these funds to local communities to improve school zone safety.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  There is often not enough local law enforcement at school zones, particularly in rural areas.  The increase in fines is intended to deter speeding in school zones, thus helping to keep children safe.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Mary Skinner, prime sponsor; Shelly McAndrews, Apple Valley PTA Safety Committee; Alice Campbell, Apple Valley PTA Safety Committee; Steve Lind, Traffic Safety Commission; and Barbara Mertens, Washington Association of School Administrators.