BILL REQ. #:  S-3932.1 

Read first time 01/26/2004.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to safety belts on school buses; amending RCW 46.04.521, 46.37.510, and 46.61.688; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The Washington state legislature finds that the safety of children is paramount and that safety belts on school buses save lives. Therefore, safety belts for use by every child riding a school bus must be provided.

Sec. 2   RCW 46.04.521 and 1995 c 141 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     School bus means every motor vehicle used regularly to transport children to and from school or in connection with school activities, which is subject to the requirements set forth in the most recent edition of "Specifications for School Buses" published by the state superintendent of public instruction, but does not include buses operated by common carriers in urban transportation of school children ((or private carrier buses operated as school buses in the transportation of children to and from private schools or school activities)).

Sec. 3   RCW 46.37.510 and 1987 c 330 s 729 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) No person may sell any automobile manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, nor may any owner cause such vehicle to be registered thereafter under the provisions of chapter 46.12 RCW unless such motor car or automobile is equipped with automobile seat belts installed for use on the front seats thereof which are of a type and installed in a manner conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol. Where registration is for transfer from an out-of-state license, the applicant shall be informed of this section by the issuing agent and has thirty days to comply. The state patrol shall adopt and enforce standards as to what constitutes adequate and safe seat belts and for the fastening and installation of them. Such standards shall not be below those specified as minimum requirements by the Society of Automotive Engineers on June 13, 1963.
     (2) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1965, shall be equipped with at least two lap-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
     (3) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent passenger seating position. This requirement shall not apply to police vehicles.
     (4) Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with at least two shoulder harness-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
     (5) The state patrol shall excuse specified types of motor vehicles or seating positions within any motor vehicle from the requirements imposed by subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section when compliance would be impractical.
     (6) Every school bus must provide safety belts for use by each person riding the bus. The safety belts must be of a design to provide a lap belt for pelvic restraint and a shoulder belt to restrain upper torso movement. The safety belts are required in all school buses purchased on or after June 30, 2004, and must be retrofitted to all school buses by June 30, 2010.
     (7) No person may distribute, have for sale, offer for sale, or sell any safety belt or shoulder harness for use in motor vehicles unless it meets current minimum standards and specifications conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol or the United States department of transportation.

Sec. 4   RCW 46.61.688 and 2003 c 353 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) For the purposes of this section, the term "motor vehicle" includes:
     (a) "Buses," meaning motor vehicles with motive power, except trailers, designed to carry more than ten passengers, and includes school buses;
     (b) "Multipurpose passenger vehicles," meaning motor vehicles with motive power, except trailers, designed to carry ten persons or less that are constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation;
     (c) "Neighborhood electric vehicle," meaning a self-propelled, electrically powered four-wheeled motor vehicle whose speed attainable in one mile is more than twenty miles per hour and not more than twenty-five miles per hour and conforms to federal regulations under Title 49 C.F.R. Part 571.500;
     (d) "Passenger cars," meaning motor vehicles with motive power, except multipurpose passenger vehicles, motorcycles, or trailers, designed for carrying ten passengers or less; and
     (e) "Trucks," meaning motor vehicles with motive power, except trailers, designed primarily for the transportation of property.
     (2) This section only applies to motor vehicles that meet the manual seat belt safety standards as set forth in federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, to school buses, and to neighborhood electric vehicles. This section does not apply to a vehicle occupant for whom no safety belt is available when all designated seating positions as required by federal motor vehicle safety standard 208 are occupied.
     (3) Every person sixteen years of age or older operating or riding in a motor vehicle shall wear the safety belt assembly in a properly adjusted and securely fastened manner.
     (4) No person may operate a motor vehicle unless all child passengers under the age of sixteen years are either: (a) Wearing a safety belt assembly or (b) are securely fastened into an approved child restraint device.
     (5) A person violating this section shall be issued a notice of traffic infraction under chapter 46.63 RCW. A finding that a person has committed a traffic infraction under this section shall be contained in the driver's abstract but shall not be available to insurance companies or employers.
     (6) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section does not constitute negligence, nor may failure to wear a safety belt assembly be admissible as evidence of negligence in any civil action.
     (7) This section does not apply to an operator or passenger who possesses written verification from a licensed physician that the operator or passenger is unable to wear a safety belt for physical or medical reasons.
     (8) The state patrol may adopt rules exempting operators or occupants of farm vehicles, construction equipment, and vehicles that are required to make frequent stops from the requirement of wearing safety belts.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2005, from the highway safety fund to the superintendent of public instruction to carry out the purposes of this act.