SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6017

                    As of February 25, 1999

Title:  An act relating to motor vehicle emission inspections.

Brief Description:  Changing vehicle emission inspection program provisions.

Sponsors:  Senators Spanel and Swecker; by request of Department of Ecology.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Environmental Quality & Water Resources:  2/26/99.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & WATER RESOURCES

Staff:  Richard Rodger (786-7461)

Background:  Certain motor vehicles, located within a vehicle emission testing area, must have a valid emission inspection or compliance certificate prior to being licensed or transferred.  To be valid, the certificate must have been issued within six months prior to the license application or renewal.

Last year the Legislature passed a vehicle emission testing exemption, effective January 1, 2000, for vehicles less than five years old or more than 25 years old.  The act required the Department of Ecology (DOE) to study the amount of pollution that would be created by this exemption and propose a method of recapturing the emissions "lost" by the new exemption.  DOE's study recommends recapturing the "lost" emissions by requiring emission testing on a discrete class of used cars sold by licensed motor vehicle dealers.

Summary of Bill:  Used motor vehicles sold by licensed motor vehicle dealers, located in a county where vehicle emission inspections are required, must have a valid certificate of inspection or compliance if:  (1) the vehicle is from outside an emission inspection area; and (2) the vehicle will not require an emission inspection prior to its next license renewal.

A vehicle may be licensed in an emission inspection area, without a new emission inspection, if its inspection or compliance certificate was issued within the past 14 months.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Effective January 1, 2000.