S-0659.2  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 5513

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

 

By Senators Oke, Spanel, Wood and Horn

 

Read first time 01/29/97.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Excepting certain vessels from registration.


    AN ACT Relating to exceptions from vessel registration; amending RCW 88.02.030; and providing an expiration date.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 88.02.030 and 1991 c 339 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:

    Vessel registration is required under this chapter except for the following:

    (1) Military or public vessels of the United States, except recreational-type public vessels;

    (2) Vessels owned by a state or subdivision thereof, used principally for governmental purposes and clearly identifiable as such;

    (3) Vessels either (a) registered or numbered under the laws of a country other than the United States; or (b) having a valid United States customs service cruising license issued pursuant to 19 C.F.R. Sec. 4.94;

    (4) Vessels that have been issued a valid number under federal law or by an approved issuing authority of the state or country of principal operation.  However, a vessel that is validly registered in another state or country but that is removed to this state for principal use is subject to registration under this chapter.  The issuing authority for this state shall recognize the validity of the numbers previously issued for a period of sixty days after arrival in this state;

    (5) Vessels owned by a ((resident of another state)) nonresident if the vessel is located upon the waters of this state exclusively for repairs, alteration, or reconstruction, or any testing related to the repair, alteration, or reconstruction conducted in this state if an employee of the repair, alteration, or construction facility is on board the vessel during any testing:  PROVIDED, That any vessel owned by a ((resident of another state)) nonresident is located upon the waters of this state exclusively for repairs, alteration, reconstruction, or testing for a period longer than sixty days, that the nonresident shall file an affidavit with the department of revenue verifying the vessel is located upon the waters of this state for repair, alteration, reconstruction, or testing and shall continue to file such affidavit every sixty days thereafter, while the vessel is located upon the waters of this state exclusively for repairs, alteration, reconstruction, or testing;

    (6) Vessels equipped with propulsion machinery of less than ten horsepower that:

    (a) Are owned by the owner of a vessel for which a valid vessel number has been issued;

    (b) Display the number of that numbered vessel followed by the suffix "1" in the manner prescribed by the department; and

    (c) Are used as a tender for direct transportation between that vessel and the shore and for no other purpose;

    (7) Vessels under sixteen feet in overall length which have no propulsion machinery of any type or which are not used on waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or on the high seas beyond the territorial seas for vessels owned in the United States and are powered by propulsion machinery of ten or less horsepower;

    (8) Vessels with no propulsion machinery of any type for which the primary mode of propulsion is human power;

    (9) ((Vessels which are temporarily in this state undergoing repair or alteration;

    (10))) Vessels primarily engaged in commerce which have or are required to have a valid marine document as a vessel of the United States.  Commercial vessels which the department of revenue determines have the external appearance of vessels which would otherwise be required to register under this chapter, must display decals issued annually by the department of revenue that indicate the vessel's exempt status; ((and

    (11))) (10) Vessels primarily engaged in commerce which are owned by a resident of a country other than the United States; and

    (11) Vessels owned by a nonresident individual brought into this state for his or her use or enjoyment while temporarily within the state for not more than six months in any continuous twelve-month period, unless the vessel is used in conducting a nontransitory business activity within the state.  However, the vessel must (a) be registered or numbered under the laws of a country other than the United States, (b) have a valid United States customs service cruising license issued under 19 C.F.R. Sec. 4.94, or (c) have been issued a valid number under federal law or by an approved issuing authority of the state of principal operation.  Any vessel temporarily in the state under this subsection shall obtain an identification document from the department of licensing indicating when the vessel first came into the state.  A twenty-five dollar identification document fee shall be paid by the vessel owner to the department of licensing, or any county auditor, or any vessel subagent, for the cost of providing the identification document by the department of licensing and county auditor or vessel subagent, if applicable.  Any moneys remaining from the fee after payment of costs shall be allocated to counties by the state treasurer for approved boating safety programs under RCW 88.02.040.  The department of licensing shall adopt rules to implement its duties under this subsection, including issuing and displaying the identification document and collecting the twenty-five dollar fee.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  Section 1 of this act expires July 1, 2000.

 


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