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

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Jacobsen, Hewitt, Rasmussen and Kohl-Welles).

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Transportation

Background: It is unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle along public roads unless the vehicle is properly licensed. 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".

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 race track using the public right-of-way.

Summary: Trams used for transporting persons to and from horse racing industry 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, and the activity conforms with federal law. The operator of the tram must be a licensed driver and at least 18 years old.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      48   0
House      94   0   (House amended)
Senate            (Senate refused to concur)
House      98   0   (House amended)
Senate      44   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: May 9, 2005