BILL REQ. #:  S-0333.1 

Read first time 01/12/2005.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to regulating the use of automated traffic safety cameras; amending RCW 3.46.120, 3.50.100, 35.20.220, 46.63.030, and 46.63.140; adding new sections to chapter 46.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 46.63 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:
     "Automated traffic safety camera" means a device that uses a vehicle sensor installed to work in conjunction with an intersection traffic control system or a railroad grade crossing control system, and a camera synchronized to automatically record one or more sequenced photographs, microphotographs, or electronic images of the rear of a motor vehicle at the time the vehicle fails to stop when facing a steady red traffic control signal or an activated railroad grade crossing control signal.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:
     "Automated traffic infraction notice" means a notice of a traffic infraction generated by the use of an authorized automated traffic safety camera issued to the registered owner of a vehicle photographed while failing to stop at a red traffic control signal or violating an activated railroad grade crossing control. An automated traffic infraction notice issued by the use of an automated traffic safety camera system must include a copy or facsimile of the photograph showing both the vehicle license plate of the offending vehicle and the traffic control device or the activated railroad grade crossing control. An automated traffic infraction notice will be administered under RCW 46.63.140.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 46.63 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The use of automated traffic safety cameras is subject to the following regulations:
     (a) The appropriate local legislative authority must first enact an ordinance allowing for their use to detect one or more of the following: Stoplight or railroad crossing violations. At a minimum, the local ordinance must contain the restrictions described in this section and provisions for public notice and signage. Cities and counties using traffic safety cameras before the effective date of this act are subject to the restrictions described in this section, but are not required to enact an authorizing ordinance.
     (b) Use of automated traffic safety cameras is restricted to two-arterial intersections and railroad crossings only.
     (c) Automated traffic safety cameras may take pictures of the vehicle and vehicle license plate and only while an infraction is occurring. The picture must not reveal the face of the driver or of passengers in the vehicle.
     (d) The ordinance enacted by the local legislative authority may provide that automated traffic safety cameras may take pictures of the vehicle and vehicle license plate while an infraction is occurring.
     (e) The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction shall plainly mark the locations where an automated traffic safety camera is used by placing signs on street locations that clearly indicate to drivers that they are entering a zone where traffic laws are enforced by an automated traffic safety camera. Signs must be displayed one hundred yards in advance of placement of the locations where an automated traffic safety camera is used and must state the following in letters at least six inches high: "TRAFFIC LIGHT AND RAILROAD CROSSING VIOLATIONS RECORDED BY CAMERA."
     (f) A notice of an infraction must be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle within fourteen days of the infraction occurring.
     (g) A person receiving an automated traffic infraction notice based on evidence detected by an automated traffic safety camera may respond to the notice by mail.
     (h) The registered owner of a vehicle is responsible for an infraction under RCW 46.63.030(2) unless within fifteen days after notification of the infraction the registered owner furnishes the officials or agents of the municipality that issued the notice of infraction with:
     (i) An affidavit made under oath, stating that the vehicle involved was, at the time, stolen or in the care, custody, or control of some person other than the registered owner; or
     (ii) Testimony in open court under oath that the person was not the operator of the vehicle at the time of the alleged infraction.
     (2) Infractions detected through the use of automated traffic safety cameras will be processed as are stopping, standing, or parking violations under RCW 46.61.560, but are not part of the registered owner's driving record under RCW 46.52.101 and 46.52.120.
     (3) If an automated traffic infraction notice is sent to the registered owner under RCW 46.63.030(2) and the registered owner is a rental car business, the infraction will be dismissed against the business if it mails to the issuing agency, within fourteen days of receiving the notice, a declaration under penalty of perjury of the name and known mailing address of the individual driving or renting the vehicle when the infraction occurred. If the business is unable to determine who was driving or renting the vehicle at the time the infraction occurred, the business must sign a declaration under penalty of perjury to this effect. The declaration must be mailed to the issuing agency within fourteen days of receiving the notice of traffic infraction. Timely mailing of this declaration to the issuing agency relieves a rental car business of any liability under this chapter for the notice of infraction. A declaration form suitable for this purpose must be included with each automated traffic infraction notice issued, along with instructions for its completion and use.
     (4) If a county or city has established an authorized automated traffic safety camera program under this section, the compensation paid to the manufacturer or vendor of the equipment used must be based only upon the value of the equipment and services provided or rendered in support of the system, and may not be based upon a portion of the fine or civil penalty imposed or the revenue generated by the equipment.

Sec. 4   RCW 3.46.120 and 2004 c 15 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All money received by the clerk of a municipal department including penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees and costs shall be paid by the clerk to the city treasurer.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions or for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera, and certain costs to the state treasurer. The city treasurer shall remit monthly ten percent of the noninterest money received under this section for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (5) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the public safety and education account as provided in RCW 43.08.250, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 5   RCW 3.50.100 and 2004 c 15 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Costs in civil and criminal actions may be imposed as provided in district court. All fees, costs, fines, forfeitures and other money imposed by any municipal court for the violation of any municipal or town ordinances shall be collected by the court clerk and, together with any other noninterest revenues received by the clerk, shall be deposited with the city or town treasurer as a part of the general fund of the city or town, or deposited in such other fund of the city or town, or deposited in such other funds as may be designated by the laws of the state of Washington.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions or for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera, and certain costs to the state treasurer. The city treasurer shall remit monthly ten percent of the noninterest money received under this section for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (5) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the public safety and education account as provided in RCW 43.08.250, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 6   RCW 35.20.220 and 2004 c 15 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The chief clerk, under the supervision and direction of the court administrator of the municipal court, shall have the custody and care of the books, papers and records of said court; he shall be present by himself or deputy during the session of said court, and shall have the power to swear all witnesses and jurors, and administer oaths and affidavits, and take acknowledgments. He shall keep the records of said court, and shall issue all process under his hand and the seal of said court, and shall do and perform all things and have the same powers pertaining to his office as the clerks of the superior courts have in their office. He shall receive all fines, penalties and fees of every kind, and keep a full, accurate and detailed account of the same; and shall on each day pay into the city treasury all money received for said city during the day previous, with a detailed account of the same, and taking the treasurer's receipt therefor.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions or for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera, and certain costs to the state treasurer. The city treasurer shall remit monthly ten percent of the noninterest money received under this section for infractions detected by an automated traffic safety camera to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (5) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the public safety and education account as provided in RCW 43.08.250, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 7   RCW 46.63.030 and 2004 c 231 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A law enforcement officer has the authority to issue a notice of traffic infraction or an automated traffic infraction notice:
     (a) When the infraction is committed in the officer's presence;
     (b) When the officer is acting upon the request of a law enforcement officer in whose presence the traffic infraction was committed;
     (c) If an officer investigating at the scene of a motor vehicle accident has reasonable cause to believe that the driver of a motor vehicle involved in the accident has committed a traffic infraction; ((or))
     (d) When the notice of infraction is detected through the use of a photo enforcement system under RCW 46.63.160; or
     (e) When the notice is mailed to the registered owner or the person renting a vehicle as authorized under subsection (2) of this section.
     (2) When an automated traffic safety camera is used in compliance with section 3 of this act, a law enforcement officer, whether present or not during the commission of the infraction, or other issuing agency may issue an automated traffic infraction notice by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle, or to the person renting the vehicle. The registered owner of the vehicle or the person renting the vehicle is responsible for the infraction.
     (3) A court may issue a notice of traffic infraction upon receipt of a written statement of the officer that there is reasonable cause to believe that an infraction was committed.
     (((3))) (4) If any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked, standing, or stopped in violation of this title or an equivalent administrative regulation or local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution, the officer finding the vehicle shall take its registration number and may take any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user, and shall conspicuously affix to the vehicle a notice of traffic infraction.
     (((4))) (5) In the case of failure to redeem an abandoned vehicle under RCW 46.55.120, upon receiving a complaint by a registered tow truck operator that has incurred costs in removing, storing, and disposing of an abandoned vehicle, an officer of the law enforcement agency responsible for directing the removal of the vehicle shall send a notice of infraction by certified mail to the last known address of the person responsible under RCW 46.55.105. The notice must be entitled "Littering -- Abandoned Vehicle" and give notice of the monetary penalty. The officer shall append to the notice of infraction, on a form prescribed by the department of licensing, a notice indicating the amount of costs incurred as a result of removing, storing, and disposing of the abandoned vehicle, less any amount realized at auction, and a statement that monetary penalties for the infraction will not be considered as having been paid until the monetary penalty payable under this chapter has been paid and the court is satisfied that the person has made restitution in the amount of the deficiency remaining after disposal of the vehicle.

Sec. 8   RCW 46.63.140 and 1980 c 128 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) In any traffic infraction case or automated traffic infraction case involving a violation of this title or equivalent administrative regulation or local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution relating to the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle or violations detected by automated traffic safety cameras, proof that the particular vehicle described in the notice of traffic infraction or automated traffic infraction notice was stopping, standing, or parking or did commit the violation detected by an automated traffic safety camera in violation of any such provision of this title or an equivalent administrative regulation or local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution, together with proof that the person named in the notice of traffic infraction or automated traffic infraction notice was at the time of the violation the registered owner of the vehicle, ((shall)) constitutes in evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of the vehicle was the person who parked or placed the vehicle at the point where, and for the time during which, the violation occurred or who operated the vehicle photographed by an automated traffic safety camera.
     (2) The foregoing stated presumption ((shall apply)) applies only when the procedure prescribed in RCW 46.63.030(((3))) (4) has been followed.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9   The legislature respectfully requests the Washington state supreme court to amend the Infraction Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction to conform to this act. Furthermore, the legislature respectfully asks the court to create an automated traffic infraction notice that is consistent with this act.