FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2604

                          FULL VETO

Brief Description:  Providing vehicle owners' names and addresses to commercial parking companies.

Sponsors:  Representatives Silver, R. Fisher, Chopp and Tokuda.

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:  Commercial parking companies contact registered owners of motor vehicles to notify them of outstanding parking violations.  Currently, the commercial parking companies receive registered owner information from the Department of Licensing (DOL) via printed forms.

In the section pertaining to public records, the public disclosure law prohibits agencies from providing access to lists of individuals for commercial purposes, unless specifically authorized or directed by law.  Although RCW 46.12.380 does authorize the disclosure of the names and addresses of vehicle owners for commercial purposes, it prescribes the manner of production.  Under the procedures in RCW 46.12.380, DOL currently prohibits the disclosure of this information electronically (for example, magnetic tape) to commercial parking companies except when said companies are acting on behalf of a municipality or other governmental entity.

Summary:  The Department of Licensing (DOL) is permitted to furnish lists of the registered owners of motor vehicles electronically to commercial parking companies.  If a registered owner list is used by a commercial parking company for any purpose other than notification of outstanding parking violations, DOL will deny further access to such information.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     96 0

Senate    48 0