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               BILL REQUEST - CODE REVISER'S OFFICE

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BILL REQ. #:        H-2702.3/01 3rd draft

 

ATTY/TYPIST:        KB:rmh

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:


1563-S AMH LINV H2702.3

 

 

 

SHB 1563 - H AMD

By Representatives Linville and Schoesler

 

                                                                   

 

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

 

    "Sec. 1.  RCW 70.120.170 and 1998 c 342 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall administer a system for emission inspections of all motor vehicles, except those described in RCW 46.16.015(2), that are registered within the boundaries of each emission contributing area.  Under such system a motor vehicle shall be inspected biennially except where an annual program would be required to meet federal law and prevent federal sanctions.  In addition, motor vehicles shall be inspected at each change of registered owner of a licensed vehicle as provided under RCW 46.16.015.

    (2) The director shall:

    (a) Adopt procedures for conducting emission inspections of motor vehicles.  The inspections may include the acceleration simulation mode test described in WAC 173-422-070 as it existed on January 1, 2001, and idle and high revolution per minute emission tests, but may not include the transient emission test known as the IM 240 test developed by the United States environmental protection agency and authorized in 40 C.F.R. 51.357 as it exists on the effective date of this section.  The emission test for diesel vehicles shall consist solely of a smoke opacity test.

    (b) Adopt criteria for calibrating emission testing equipment.  Electronic equipment used to test for emissions standards provided for in this chapter shall be properly calibrated.  The department shall examine frequently the calibration of the emission testing equipment used at the stations.

    (c) Authorize, through contracts, the establishment and operation of inspection stations for conducting vehicle emission inspections authorized in this chapter.  Any contract for providing vehicle emission inspections after June 30, 2002, shall:  (i) Be bid on or after June 15, 2001; and (ii) include no fewer than two satellite stations and no more than five satellite stations statewide, with at least one satellite station located in a suburban area and one satellite station located in a city or town surrounded by a rural area.  No person contracted to inspect motor vehicles may perform for compensation repairs on any vehicles.  No public body may establish or operate contracted inspection stations.  Any contracts must be let in accordance with the procedures established for competitive bids in chapter 43.19 RCW, except that no contract may be entered into for a period greater than six years.

    (3) Subsection (2)(c) of this section does not apply to volunteer motor vehicle inspections under RCW 70.120.020(1) if the inspections are conducted for the following purposes:

    (a) Auditing;

    (b) Contractor evaluation;

    (c) Collection of data for establishing calibration and performance standards; or

    (d) Public information and education.

    (4)(a) The director shall establish by rule the fee to be charged for emission inspections.  The inspection fee shall be a standard fee applicable statewide or throughout an emission contributing area and shall be no greater than ((fifteen)) twenty-one dollars.  Surplus moneys collected from fees over the amount due the contractor shall be paid to the state and deposited in the general fund.  Fees shall be set at the minimum whole dollar amount required to (i) compensate the contractor or inspection facility owner, and (ii) offset the general fund appropriation to the department to cover the administrative costs of the motor vehicle emission inspection program.  The portion of the fee dedicated to covering the department's administrative costs may not exceed three dollars and sixty-five cents per inspection.

    (b) Before each inspection, a person whose motor vehicle is to be inspected shall pay to the inspection station the fee established under this section.  The person whose motor vehicle is inspected shall receive the results of the inspection.  If the inspected vehicle complies with the standards established by the director, the person shall receive a dated certificate of compliance.  If the inspected vehicle does not comply with those standards, one reinspection of the vehicle shall be afforded without charge.

    (5) All units of local government and agencies of the state with motor vehicles garaged or regularly operated in an emissions contributing area shall test the emissions of those vehicles annually to ensure that the vehicle's emissions comply with the emission standards established by the director.  All state agencies outside of emission contributing areas with more than twenty motor vehicles housed at a single facility or contiguous facilities shall test the emissions of those vehicles annually to ensure that the vehicles' emissions comply with standards established by the director.  A report of the results of the tests shall be submitted to the department.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately."

 

    Correct the title.

 

 

 


    EFFECT:  Caps the price the Department of Ecology can charge a consumer for a vehicle emission inspection at $21.00; limits the portion of the inspection fee dedicated to reimbursing the department's costs at $3.65; prohibits the department from conducting the IM 240 emission test; limits the length of a contract to provide emission tests to six years; requires potential inspection providers to bid after June 15, 2001; includes provisions for the establishment of between two and five satellite inspection stations located in suburban or rural areas; and adds an emergency clause.

 


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