SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5986

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Highways & Transportation, March 6, 2003

Title: An act relating to vehicles driven side by side in a single lane.

Brief Description: Allowing narrow vehicles to drive side by side in one lane.

Sponsors: Senator West.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Highways & Transportation: 3/6/03 [DPS, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5986 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Horn, Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Esser, Haugen, Kastama, Oke and Spanel.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators Benton, Vice Chair; and Jacobsen.

Staff: Janice Baumgardt (786-7319)

Background: Current law is silent on whether vehicles may travel two or more abreast in a single lane. However, the operating motorcycles statute does permit motorcycles to travel up to two abreast in a single lane.

Summary of Substitute Bill: Ultranarrow vehicle is defined as a vehicle with a maximum width of 42 inches from mirror to mirror. The operating motorcycles statute is amended to include ultranarrow vehicles being permitted to travel up to two abreast in a single lane and prohibited from lane splitting and passing in the same lane.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Testimony For: This bill will promote use of ultranarrow vehicles which will help in reducing congestion, pollution, and our reliance on oil.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Rick Woodbury, Commuter Cars Corporation; Grant Smith, Commuter Cars Corporation.