SENATE BILL REPORT
SSB 6248
As Passed Senate, February 15, 2002
Title: An act relating to funding bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Brief Description: Funding bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Jacobsen, Kohl‑Welles, Kline and Brown).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Transportation: 1/25/02, 2/1/02 [DPS].
Passed Senate: 2/15/02, 48-0.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6248 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Eide, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, Kastama, Keiser, McAuliffe, McDonald, Oke, Prentice and Shin.
Staff: Tami Neilson (786‑7452)
Background: Special motor vehicle license plates are those plates containing a unique design recognizing a particular organization or membership in a particular group. Some of these special plates are used to raise money for particular causes and others are used to honor residents of the state for particular activities.
The bicycle and pedestrian safety account is used to support bicycle and pedestrian education and safety programs.
Summary of Bill: A special Cooper Jones license plate is established. The charge is $25 initially and $20 for each renewal. Monies raised from the issuance of these plates are credited to the bicycle and pedestrian safety account to be used for safety education, enforcement, and encouragement.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: This license plate would be in memory of Cooper Jones. Biking groups only provide education for their membership. Other adults and kids also need education on how to ride bikes safely. Issuing the license plate would provide the funding to provide this necessary education.
Concerns: The fiscal note must be reviewed when available to see if funding this license plate is worthwhile.
Testimony Against: License plates should continue to use the alpha-numeric system. It is easier to identify vehicles in the case of a hit and run or similar accident when the alpha-numeric system is used.
Testified: Senator Jacobsen, prime sponsor; Steve Lind, Washington Traffic Safety Commission; Eric Robertson, Washington State Patrol; Don Martin, citizen.
House Amendment(s): Cooper Jones Act license plate emblems are created to fund the bicycle and pedestrian safety account. There is no renewal fee. The funds from the emblem sales are collected and used by the Department of Licensing (DOL) until all expenses of designing and producing the emblems are recovered. Thereafter, DOL may collect up to $5 of the fee for administrative and collection expenses, and the remaining proceeds will be credited to the bicycle and pedestrian safety account.