HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1458

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to licensing.

Brief Description:  Regulating vehicle and vessel licensing.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget (originally sponsored by  Representatives Zellinsky, Fisher and Robertson; by request of Department of Licensing).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation Policy & Budget:  2/11/97, 2/12/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/6/97, 93‑0.

Senate Amended.

House Concurred.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION POLICY & BUDGET

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Hankins, Vice Chairman; Mielke, Vice Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Blalock, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cooper, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Constantine; DeBolt; Gardner; Hatfield; Johnson; Murray; O'Brien; Ogden; Radcliff; Robertson; Romero; Scott; Sterk; Wood and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786-7322).

Background:  The law requiring vehicle dealers to maintain a certain display area for their vehicles was repealed, but references to this display area requirement are still found in the statute regulating wholesale and listing dealers.

The Department of Licensing (DOL) was given the authority to deny a license to any tow truck operator whose application for license is a mere subterfuge to conceal the identity of the real applicant whose license has been denied, suspended or revoked.  This law has not been extended to cover vehicle and vessel dealers who attempt to obtain a license by concealing their real identity.

Summary of Bill:  This bill removes all references to display area requirements to reflect changes made by the Legislature in previous sessions.

The DOL=s authority to deny an application to a person attempting to conceal his or her true identity because he or she has had a license denied, suspended or revoked is extended to vehicle and vessel dealers.

 DOL is required to make certain data available to a third party vendor, who in turn will provide excise tax information to car dealers.

Dealers are allowed to obtain vehicle titles directly from lienholders when the lien has been paid off.  If the bank does not remit the title within the prescribed time period, the dealers may seek a monetary penalty plus actual damages and fees.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This would make the vehicle dealer statutes consistent with tow trucks and scrap haulers as they relate to fraudulently obtained dealer licenses.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Robert Smith, Department of Licensing.