HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2520

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to extending terminal safety audit fees to vehicles operating under the International Registration Plan.

Brief Description:  Extending terminal safety audit fees to vehicles operating under the International Registration Plan.

Sponsors:  Representatives K. Schmidt and Scott; by request of Washington State Patrol.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/22/96 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 26 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; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Chopp; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; McMahan; Ogden; Patterson; Quall; Robertson; Romero; D. Schmidt; Scott; Sterk and Tokuda.

Staff:  Mary McLaughlin (786-7309).

Background:  Pursuant to ESHB 1209 (Chapter 272, Laws of 1995), a new statewide truck safety inspection program took effect January 1, 1996.  The program consolidates the terminal safety program of the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and the roadside inspection program of the Washington State Patrol (WSP) in the WSP.  All carriers with terminals in Washington State are subject to safety audits.

At the time of annual vehicle licensing, a $10 per vehicle inspection fee is collected by the Department of Licensing (DOL) for each inter- and intrastate vehicle base-plated in the state of Washington.  There is no provision for collection of the inspection fee from an interstate carrier base-plated in another state or country who travels in the state of Washington.   The annual vehicle licensing fees for most interstate carriers are prorated through the International Registration Plan (IRP).

The IRP is a multi-state proportional registration (prorate) agreement in which the base state collects the licensing fees for all states in which the carrier travels.  The base state then distributes  to the other states that portion due based on the number of miles traveled in each jurisdiction during the year.  Forty-seven states and two Canadian provinces (British Columbia and Alberta) belong to the IRP.  Under the IRP, no state may impose a flat fee for carriers base-plated in another jurisdiction; all such fees must be prorated in the same manner as other licensing fees.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Beginning January 1, 1997, an annual $10 inspection fee is collected, on a proportional basis, from each interstate vehicle (power unit) base-plated in another IRP state or foreign jurisdiction that travels in the state of Washington.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original intent is clarified; that is, the inspection fee is placed on the power unit, not the trailer, for both IRP and fully licensed vehicles.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 18, 1996.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill takes effect on January 1, 1997.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  None.