FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1270

                         C 393 L 95

                     Synopsis as Enacted

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

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

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

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:  Farmers who haul Christmas trees and wood products from their own private tree farm need not obtain a commercial driver's license when using vehicles that do not exceed 40,000 pounds licensed gross vehicle weight.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     97 0

Senate    41 0 (Senate amended)

House     96 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 23, 1995