Title: An act relating to licensing exemptions for transporting persons at horse races.

Brief Description: Exempting transport of persons at horse races from licensing.

Sponsors: Representatives Simpson, Appleton, Woods, Cody, P. Sullivan, Dunn and Chase.

Brief History:

Transportation: 3/3/05, 3/5/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Hankins, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Staff: Jerry Long (786-7306).

Background:

It is unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle along public roads without the proper vehicle license. Exceptions to this law include the following vehicles: motorized foot scooters, electric assisted bicycles, certain farm vehicles, spray or fertilizer rigs, fork lifts, and "special highway construction equipment."

Drivers of commercial motor vehicles are required to have a commercial driver's license, with some exceptions.

When the Emerald Downs racetrack was built, there was a private access road on the property that has since become a public right-of-way, under agreement with the City of Auburn. At Emerald Downs, trams transport visitors from the parking lot to the racetrack.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

Trams used for transporting persons to and from facilities related to the horse racing industry are not required to be licensed so long as the public right-of-way over which the tram operates is not more than one mile long, and has an average daily traffic of not more than 15,000 vehicles per day.

A driver transporting people to and from horse racing facilities is not required to have a commercial driver's license, as long as the routes over which this transporting occurs are not more than one mile long, and the public right-of-way on which the driving occurs has an average daily traffic of not more than 15,000 vehicles per day.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill:

• Adds that exempting persons driving the trams from the commercial driver license requirement has to be in conformity with federal law and the operator must be a licensed driver and at least 18 years old.
• Changes the effective date from 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed to effective immediately.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For: When Emerald Downs was built, the roadway was a private access road. Now the roadway is a public access road since the City of Auburn has taken over the jurisdiction. The trams move people from the parking lots to the facility and do not move very fast. There was a concern brought up about exempting the drivers from the commercial drivers license requirement. It was recommended to add into the bill that this provision would need to comply with federal laws. It was also requested that the requirement be added that the driver of the trams had to be a licensed driver and at least 18 years old. Since the racing session is going to start in the near future, it was recommended to have the bill go into effect immediately.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Simpson, prime sponsor; Jim Halstrom, Northwest Racing Emerald Downs; Rob Crockett, Northwest Racing Emerald Downs; and Carolyn Robertson, City of Auburn.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.