Title: An act relating to vehicle gross weight violations.

Brief Description: Increasing penalties for vehicle gross weight violations.

Sponsors: House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Kagi, Clibborn and Dickerson).

Brief History: Passed House: 2/14/06, 72-26.

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/22/06 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Benson, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Esser, Finkbeiner, Mulliken, Oke, Sheldon, Spanel and Weinstein.

Staff: Janice Baumgardt (786-7319)

Background: No vehicle or combination of vehicles can operate upon the public highways of the state with a gross load on any single axle in excess of 20,000 pounds or upon any group of axles in excess of the weight that is set forth in statute.

• Upon two gross weight violations within twelve months, the court may suspend the certificate of license registration of the vehicle for not less than 30 days. Upon three or more gross weight violations within twelve months, the court shall suspend the certificate of license registration of the vehicle for not less than 30 days.
  
  

Summary of Bill: Upon three or more out-of-service violations, as defined in the code of federal regulations, the court shall suspend the certificate of license registration for not less than 30 days.

The Washington State Patrol, in consultation with the Administrator of the Courts, Department of Licensing, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, and the trucking industry, is directed to develop recommendations

• regarding the most effective methods for tracking the violations that lead to suspensions of certificates of license registrations and
• for improving the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles on Washington's highways and roads.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: The "bad apples" that use unsafe practices in the trucking industry need to be taken off the road and this bill does just that.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Representative Kagi; Kathleen Ellsbury; Richard Ellsbury; Ruth Ellsbury; Jeff Devere, Washington State Patrol; Larry Pursley, Washington Trucking Association.