HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6009

                      As Passed House:

                        April 8, 1999

Title:  An act relating to nonphoto identification cards for disabled parking.

Brief Description:  Authorizing nonphoto identification cards for disabled parking.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Oke and Haugen; by request of Department of Licensing).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  3/30/99, 4/1/99 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  4/8/99, 95-0.

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$The Department of Licensing will issue nonphoto identification cards until July 1, 2001.  They will then resume issuance of photo identification cards to all disabled permit holders.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 24 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; K. Schmidt, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Buck; G. Chandler; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mitchell; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Schual-Berke; Skinner and Wood.

Staff:  Reema Shawa (786-7301).

Background:

In 1998, SSB 6190 made significant changes to the disabled parking statute.  One of the requirements embodied in that legislation was for the Department of Licensing (DOL) to issue a picture identification card, in addition to the parking placard, which would bear the picture, name, and date of birth of the permit holder, along with the placard's serial number.  The purpose of this requirement was to create a document which tied the actual permit holder to the placard in use, thus assisting law enforcement in its effort to protect the rights of the legal permit holders.

The only feasible way to implement this requirement was to centralize the issuance of the placards and picture identification cards in the department's Licensing Service Offices (LSOs). Historically, parking placards have been issued at all the DOL subagent locations, but because the issuance of a picture identification card was now required, this service had to be placed in the LSOs', as the subagents' offices were not equipped with cameras or other hardware necessary to produce a picture identification card.

According to the department, the addition of this program to the LSOs workload has had a serious effect on their ability to serve their licensing clientele in a timely manner, thus aggravating their already congested offices.  Because of this fact, they feel there needs to be some additional time allowed for them to determine the most efficient and effective process to implement and deliver a picture identification card to all permanent and temporary placard users, as well as to disabled license plate users.

Summary of Bill:

The requirement on the DOL to issue a picture identification card is temporarily removed to allow the department, in conjunction with the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues, to assess the options for issuing a picture identification card to every person qualifying for a permanent or temporary parking placard or a special disabled parking license plate.  The department must report its findings to the Legislative Transportation Committee no later than December 31, 2000.  The department is to issue photo identification cards to all permit holders by July 1, 2001.

During this time of assessment, the department is to issue nonphoto identification cards by no later than January 1, 2000, to all of its permit holders, including temporary permits, that bears the name and date of birth of the permit holder, as well as the placard's serial number.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This process will help the Department of Licensing to implement the project effectively.

Testimony Against:  The law should be left as is.

Testified:  (Support) Evelyn Barker, Department of Licensing; Lynda Henriksen, Department of Licensing; Sam Reed, Washington State Association of County Auditors; Patrick McMahan, Washington Association of Vehicle Subagents; Donald Burrell, citizen; Carol Hahn, citizen; and John Paul Jones, III, citizen.

  (Opposition) Joseph Johnston, Northwest Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America.