HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2286

As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to certificates of ownership for stolen vehicles.

Brief Description:  Correcting language regarding certificates of ownership for stolen vehicles.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Fisher, Hatfield, Mitchell and Haigh; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/21/02, 1/24/02 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/12/02, 97-0.

Passed Senate:  3/8/02, 46-0.

Passed Legislature.

Brief Summary of Bill

$In conducting a stolen vehicle search of out‑of‑state vehicles, the Department of Licensing is prohibited from issuing a certificate of ownership for a vehicle that is flagged as reported stolen.  However, the department may register a vehicle that is flagged to allow the owner to legally drive it while the Washington State Patrol (WSP) conducts an investigation.

$If the stolen vehicle search finds that an out‑of‑state vehicle is not reported stolen, or the WSP's investigation confirms that the vehicle is not stolen, the department is authorized to issue a certificate of ownership.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Fisher, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Lovick, Vice Chair; Mitchell, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Edwards, Haigh, Hankins, Hatfield, Holmquist, Jackley, Jarrett, Mielke, Morell, Murray, Ogden, Reardon, Rockefeller, Romero, Schindler, Simpson, Skinner, Wood and Woods.

Staff:  Reema Griffith (786‑7301).

Background:

Under current law, when a person applies to register a vehicle brought in from out of state, the Department of Licensing (DOL) is required to do a stolen vehicle search of out‑of‑state vehicles as part of the titling process.  If the stolen vehicle search produces results indicating the vehicle was flagged as reported stolen, the department is required to report this information to the Washington State Patrol (WSP) for further investigation.

During this investigative process, the DOL is currently prohibited from registering the vehicle.  This means the applicant cannot legally drive the vehicle until the WSP confirms that the vehicle is not stolen.  Once the WSP does its investigation and can confirm that the vehicle is not stolen, the WSP will then issue documentation indicating this fact.  The applicant must submit this documentation to the department in order to register his or her vehicle and subsequently obtain a certificate of ownership.

Summary of Bill:

In conducting a stolen vehicle search of out‑of‑state vehicles, if a vehicle is flagged as reported stolen, HB 2286 prohibits the DOL from issuing a certificate of ownership.  However, in order to allow an applicant the ability to legally drive a vehicle which has been flagged as reported stolen, the DOL is allowed to register the vehicle while the WSP conducts its investigation.

Once the WSP can confirm that a vehicle under investigation is not stolen, or if the out‑of‑state search indicates the vehicle is not stolen, the DOL is authorized to issue a certificate of ownership.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will enable the DOL to better serve its customers by being able to register an out-of-state vehicle right away while the slower process of doing a stolen vehicle search is conducted.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Deb McCurley, Department of Licensing.