HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2671

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to vehicle and vessel fees.

Brief Description:  Adjusting vehicle and vessel fees.

Sponsors:  Representatives McMahan and Tokuda.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/23/96, 2/5/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 21 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; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; Ogden; Quall; Romero; D. Schmidt; Scott and Tokuda.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 2 members:  Representatives McMahan and Sterk.

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786-7322).

Background:  The Department of Licensing (DOL) empowers county auditors to perform certain motor vehicle licensing services.  The county auditors may request DOL to appoint subagents within the county.  A subagent is an authorized provider of licensing services.  Both subagents and county auditors charge service fees, in addition to regular licensing fees paid by the vehicle owner.

County auditor and subagent fees are set in statute.  In 1992 the Legislature formed a Title and Registration Advisory Committee (TRAC) to make recommendations concerning the services provided by county auditors and subagents and the fees charged.  The recommendations were due January 1, 1996.

This past interim TRAC recommended changes to state law to enable county auditors and subagents to perform vessel licensing and titling and increasing service fees.

Summary of Bill:  The licensing authority of county auditors and subagents is expanded to include vessel registration and titles.  Every three years DOL must analyze and evaluate the service fee structure and make any recommendations for increases to the Legislative Transportation Committee.  Criteria for recommending fee increases are specified.

County auditors and subagents are granted fee increases for several licensing activities:  1) application for registration (increased from $2 to $3); 2) certificates of ownership (increased from $3 to $4); 3) change in ownership, verification of record, and affidavit of lost title (increased from $5.50 to $7.50); 4) registration renewal, issuing transit permit, or miscellaneous (increased from $2.25 to $3); 5) registration for trucks, tractors, buses and for hire vehicles (increased from no fee to $1); and 6) registration for trailers, semi-trailers, and pole trailers (increased from no fee to $1).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains several effective dates.  Please refer to the bill.

Testimony For:  Subagents have not had a fee increase since 1991.   This fee increase will help them keep up with rising costs and inflation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Lois McMahan, prime sponsor (pro, with amendment); Representative Kip Tokuda, secondary sponsor; Senator Ray Schow, TRAC; Jim Wadsworth, Department of Licensing; Don Burrell, TRAC; Jim Buck, King County; and Karen Flynn, Kitsap County Auditor.