FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5250

                          C 225 L 96

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Regulating collection of historic and special interest motor vehicles.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Haugen, Hargrove, Rasmussen, Prince, Morton and Prentice).

Senate Committee on Transportation

House Committee on Transportation

Background:  There is no current statutory definition of a "street rod."  Cars that are constructed out of parts or from kits are titled as new model year cars, even though the cars are replicas of vintage or antique cars.

Currently, the State Patrol has considerable discretion with regard to the issuance of a vehicle identification number (VIN) to a street rod.

Summary:  Motor vehicles that are manufactured before 1949, or reconstructed primarily with original parts to look like a vehicle manufactured before 1949, may carry the official designation "street rod," and must be titled as the make and year of the vehicle originally manufactured.

A "kit vehicle" is defined as a passenger car or light truck assembled from a manufactured kit.  To obtain a certificate of ownership for such a vehicle, the owner must meet certain procedural criteria.  The criteria is in place primarily to deter the sale of stolen vehicle parts in Washington.  Additional provisions relate to the licensing requirements, and kit vehicles qualifying as a"street rod" are allowed to carry that designation on their titles.  Also, the title of a kit vehicle must be marked "replica" to distinguish these cars from original model year cars.

Vehicles that are licensed under the statute relating to license plates for horseless carriages and collector cars may only be used for occasional pleasure driving.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    41 1

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate    47 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  June 6, 1996