H-0224.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1011

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Representatives Quall, Carlson and Basich

Prefiled 12/30/94.  Read first time 01/09/95.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Waiving driver's license exams for certain students.

     AN ACT Relating to waiver of driver's license examinations; and amending RCW 46.20.120.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 46.20.120 and 1990 c 9 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     No new driver's license may be issued and no previously issued license may be renewed until the applicant therefor has successfully passed a driver licensing examination.  However, the department may waive all or any part of the examination of any person applying for the renewal of a driver's license except when the department determines that an applicant for a driver's license is not qualified to hold a driver's license under this title.  The department shall waive both the knowledge and the skill portions of the examination for a person who applies for such a waiver within forty-five days of successfully completing a traffic safety education course as defined in RCW 28A.220.020, conducted by a recognized public or private secondary school, that meets the standards established by the office of the state superintendent of public instruction.  The applicant for waiver must also present a written recommendation from the traffic safety instructor.  The department may also waive the actual demonstration of the ability to operate a motor vehicle by a person who surrenders a valid driver's license issued by the person's previous home state and who is otherwise qualified to be licensed.  For a new license examination a fee of seven dollars shall be paid by each applicant, in addition to the fee charged for issuance of the license.  A new license is one issued to a driver who has not been previously licensed in this state or to a driver whose last previous Washington license has been expired for more than four years.

     Any person renewing his or her driver's license more than sixty days  after the license has expired shall pay a penalty fee of ten dollars in addition to the renewal fee under RCW 46.20.181.  The penalty fee shall be deposited in the highway safety fund.

     Any person who is outside the state at the time his or her driver's license expires or who is unable to renew the license due to any incapacity may renew the license within sixty days after returning to this state or within sixty days after the termination of any such incapacity without the payment of the penalty fee.

     The department shall provide for giving examinations at places and times reasonably available to the people of this state.

                                    --- END ---