SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5455

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Highways & Transportation, March 6, 2003

Title: An act relating to vehicle licensing subagents.

Brief Description: Creating a pilot program for renewal of drivers' licenses by subagents.

Sponsors: Senators Horn, Eide, Swecker, Kastama, Roach, B. Sheldon, Mulliken, Prentice, Johnson, Spanel, Oke, Benton, Esser, T. Sheldon, Winsley and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Highways & Transportation: 2/20/03, 3/6/03 [DP, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Horn, Chair; Benton, Vice Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Esser, Finkbeiner, Mulliken and Oke.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators Haugen, Jacobsen and Spanel.

Staff: Kimberly Johnson (786-7346)

Background: Vehicle Services and Driver Services are separate programs within the Department of Licensing (DOL). Currently, a driver's license may only be renewed by DOL Driver Service's personnel. When processing an application for a driver's license renewal, DOL staff both examine the visual acuity of the applicant and digitally photograph and capture the signature of the applicant.

Subagents are private businesses that contract with county auditors to conduct vehicle licensing functions. Subagents currently conduct transactions solely related to vehicles and vessels.

The Title and Registration Advisory Committee (TRAC) was created in 1992 with the purpose of fostering communication between the Legislature, DOL, the county auditors, and the subagents.

Summary of Bill: A pilot program is established to study the viability and efficiency of allowing vehicle subagents to issue driver's license renewals. The program may not exceed two years and may include no more than eight subagents from across the state.

DOL and TRAC must administer the program and develop a competitive selection process for the subagents chosen to participate in the program. TRAC must report its findings to the Legislative Transportation Committee by March 30, 2006.

Subagents selected to participate in the program may collect a service fee of $3.50 for issuing a driver's license renewal. An additional $1 transaction fee must be collected on every driver's license renewal, when issued by a participating subagent, and deposited in the DOL services account.

A null and void clause is included.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: January 1, 2004.

Testimony For: This bill provides us a way to test an idea. We believe that we can provide this service to the citizens of the state in an inexpensive manner.

Testimony Against: Verification of a driver's ability is always within purview of the state authorities. There is really no such thing as a "simple" renewal. This bill poses significant costs and security risks to the state.

Testified: Denise Movius, Department of Licensing (con); Jan Novack, WAVS (pro); Don Borneil, WAVS (pro); J. Shannon, WAVS (pro).