SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 2821

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Transportation, February 26, 1998

Title:  An act relating to driver training schools.

Brief Description:  Authorizing branch classrooms for driver training schools.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget (originally sponsored by Representatives Radcliff, Cooke, Van Luven and Robertson).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/25/98, 2/26/98 [DP, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Prince, Chair; Benton, Vice Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Haugen, Horn, Jacobsen, Morton, Oke, Patterson and Rasmussen.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senator Sellar.

Staff:  Paul Neal (786-7315)

Background:  Current law allows driver training schools to have an established place of business and to have branch offices or classrooms.   The law places restrictions on the location of driver training school branch offices or classrooms.  RCW 46.82.360 states that a branch office or classroom may not be located in a house trailer, residence, tent, temporary stand, temporary address, bus, telephone answering service if such service is the sole means of contacting the driver training school, a room or rooms in a hotel or rooming house or apartment house, or premises occupied by a single- or multiple-unit dwelling house.  The Department of Licensing has interpreted the statute to require that a branch office or classroom be in a regularly occupied location used exclusively for the business of giving driver instruction.

Summary of Bill: Driver training schools are authorized to have branch classrooms in locations that are used for other educational purposes.  The driver training school may not move branch classroom locations until completion of scheduled courses.  The records need not be maintained at the branch classroom but must be maintained at an established place of business within the state.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The current bill is the result of cooperative work between interested parties and the Department of Licensing.  It provides needed flexibility to allow driving schools to offer lower cost services to the public while incorporating protections for the student populations.

Testimony Against:  The bill is too vague about what types of facilities could be used as a branch classroom.  It does not provide sufficient protections for the student population, many of whom are teenagers.

Testified:  Tom Harris, WPDEA (con); Ken Coffin, WSACDS (pro); Gary Pabst, DDS (pro); Dan Crook, Northwest Driving School (con).