SHB 2223 -
By Committee on Transportation
ADOPTED 04/10/2009
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 46.25.060 and 2007 c 418 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) No person may be issued a commercial driver's license unless
that person is a resident of this state, has successfully completed a
course of instruction in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle
that has been approved by the director or has been certified by an
employer as having the skills and training necessary to operate a
commercial motor vehicle safely, and has passed a knowledge and skills
test for driving a commercial motor vehicle that complies with minimum
federal standards established by federal regulation enumerated in 49
C.F.R. part 383, subparts G and H, and has satisfied all other
requirements of the CMVSA in addition to other requirements imposed by
state law or federal regulation. The tests must be prescribed and
conducted by the department. In addition to the fee charged for
issuance or renewal of any license, the applicant shall pay a fee of no
more than ten dollars for each classified knowledge examination,
classified endorsement knowledge examination, or any combination of
classified license and endorsement knowledge examinations. The
applicant shall pay a fee of no more than one hundred dollars for each
classified skill examination or combination of classified skill
examinations conducted by the department.
(b) The department may authorize a person, including an agency of
this or another state, an employer, a private driver training facility,
or other private institution, or a department, agency, or
instrumentality of local government, to administer the skills test
specified by this section under the following conditions:
(i) The test is the same which would otherwise be administered by
the state;
(ii) The third party has entered into an agreement with the state
that complies with the requirements of 49 C.F.R. part 383.75; and
(iii) The director has adopted rules as to the third party testing
program and the development and justification for fees charged by any
third party.
(c) If the applicant's primary use of a commercial driver's license
is for any of the following, then the applicant shall pay a fee of no
more than seventy-five dollars for each classified skill examination or
combination of classified skill examinations whether conducted by the
department or a third-party tester:
(i) Public benefit not-for-profit corporations that are federally
supported head start programs; or
(ii) Public benefit not-for-profit corporations that support early
childhood education and assistance programs as described in RCW
43.215.405(4).
(2) The department shall work with the office of the superintendent
of public instruction to develop modified P1 and P2 skill examinations
that also include the skill examination components required to obtain
an "S" endorsement. In no event may a new applicant for an "S"
endorsement be required to take two separate examinations to obtain an
"S" endorsement and either a P1 or P2 endorsement, unless that
applicant is upgrading his or her existing commercial driver's license
to include an "S" endorsement. The combined P1/S or P2/S skill
examination must be offered to the applicant at the same cost as a
regular P1 or P2 skill examination.
(3)(a) The department may waive the skills test and the requirement
for completion of a course of instruction in the operation of a
commercial motor vehicle specified in this section for a commercial
driver's license applicant who meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. part
383.77.
(b) An applicant who operates a commercial motor vehicle for
agribusiness purposes is exempt from the course of instruction
completion and employer skills and training certification requirements
under this section. By January 1, 2010, the department shall submit
recommendations regarding the continuance of this exemption to the
transportation committees of the legislature. For purposes of this
subsection (3)(b), "agribusiness" means a private carrier who in the
normal course of business primarily transports:
(i) Farm machinery, farm equipment, implements of husbandry, farm
supplies, and materials used in farming;
(ii) Agricultural inputs, such as seed, feed, fertilizer, and crop
protection products;
(iii) Unprocessed agricultural commodities, as defined in RCW
17.21.020, where such commodities are produced by farmers, ranchers,
vineyardists, or orchardists; or
(iv) Any combination of (b)(i) through (iii) of this subsection.
This subsection (3)(b) expires July 1, 2011.
(4) A commercial driver's license or commercial driver's
instruction permit may not be issued to a person while the person is
subject to a disqualification from driving a commercial motor vehicle,
or while the person's driver's license is suspended, revoked, or
canceled in any state, nor may a commercial driver's license be issued
to a person who has a commercial driver's license issued by any other
state unless the person first surrenders all such licenses, which must
be returned to the issuing state for cancellation.
(5)(a) The department may issue a commercial driver's instruction
permit to an applicant who is at least eighteen years of age and holds
a valid Washington state driver's license and who has submitted a
proper application, passed the general knowledge examination required
for issuance of a commercial driver's license under subsection (1) of
this section, and paid the appropriate fee for the knowledge
examination and an application fee of ten dollars.
(b) A commercial driver's instruction permit may not be issued for
a period to exceed six months. Only one renewal or reissuance may be
granted within a two-year period.
(c) The holder of a commercial driver's instruction permit may
drive a commercial motor vehicle on a highway only when accompanied by
the holder of a commercial driver's license valid for the type of
vehicle driven who occupies a seat beside the individual for the
purpose of giving instruction in driving the commercial motor vehicle.
The holder of a commercial driver's instruction permit is not
authorized to operate a commercial motor vehicle transporting hazardous
materials.
(d) The department shall transmit the fees collected for commercial
driver's instruction permits to the state treasurer."
SHB 2223 -
By Committee on Transportation
ADOPTED 04/10/2009
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "purposes;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 46.25.060; and providing an expiration date."
EFFECT: The expiration date of this exemption is moved up by 3 years to July 1, 2011. DOL is to make recommendations regarding the continuance of this exemption.