SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6419

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Transportation, February 3, 2000

Title:  An act relating to abandoned vehicles.

Brief Description:  Increasing penalties for vehicle abandonment.

Sponsors:  Senators Swecker, Gardner, Fraser, T. Sheldon, Goings, Rasmussen and Oke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  1/26/2000, 2/3/2000 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6419 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Benton, Costa, Eide, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Sheahan, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

Background:  If an unauthorized vehicle is found abandoned and removed at the discretion of law enforcement, the last registered owner is liable for the costs incurred in removing and storing the abandoned vehicle.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Failure of a registered owner to remove a vehicle from a highway right- of-way within 24 hours constitutes the traffic infraction of littering--abandoned vehicle.  The infraction has a mandatory fine of $250, and the court must suspend the driver's license of the person committing the infraction for 90 days and until all penalties are paid, whichever is later.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The mandatory court appearance is removed.  Technical corrections are made.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 17, 2000.

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

Testimony For:  There are a substantial number of abandoned vehicles along Washington roads and tow truck operators are rarely compensated for removing those vehicles.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Senator Swecker, prime sponsor; John O=Callahan, International Towers of Washington; Jackie Currie, Columbia Towing/Totem Towing, Seattle; Linda Olson, G.T. Towing, Yelm; Wally Curl, Wally=s Towing, Snohomish; Richard Churchill, R&R Star Towing, Lynnwood.