SHB 2939 -
By Committee on Transportation
ADOPTED 03/05/2010
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 46.52.130 and 2009 c 276 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(((1) A certified abstract of the driving record shall be furnished
only to:)) Upon a proper request, the department may furnish an abstract
of a person's driving record as permitted under this section.
(a) The individual named in the abstract;
(b) An employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on
behalf of an employer or prospective employer, or a volunteer
organization for which the named individual has submitted an
application for a position that could require the transportation of
children under eighteen years of age, adults over sixty-five years of
age, or persons with mental or physical disabilities;
(c) An employee or agent of a transit authority checking
prospective volunteer vanpool drivers for insurance and risk management
needs;
(d) The insurance carrier that has insurance in effect covering the
employer or a prospective employer;
(e) The insurance carrier that has motor vehicle or life insurance
in effect covering the named individual;
(f) The insurance carrier to which the named individual has
applied;
(g) An alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency approved by the
department of social and health services, to which the named individual
has applied or been assigned for evaluation or treatment;
(h) City and county prosecuting attorneys;
(i) State colleges, universities, or agencies for employment and
risk management purposes; or units of local government authorized to
self-insure under RCW 48.62.031; or
(j) An employer or prospective employer or volunteer organization,
or an agent acting on behalf of an employer or prospective employer or
volunteer organization, for employment purposes related to driving by
an individual as a condition of that individual's employment or
otherwise at the direction of the employer or organization.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prevent a court
from providing a copy of the driver's abstract to the individual named
in the abstract, provided that the named individual has a pending case
in that court for a suspended license violation or an open infraction
or criminal case in that court that has resulted in the suspension of
the individual's driver's license. A pending case includes criminal
cases that have not reached a disposition by plea, stipulation, trial,
or amended charge. An open infraction or criminal case includes cases
on probation, payment agreement or subject to, or in collections.
Courts may charge a reasonable fee for production and copying of the
abstract for the individual.
(3) City attorneys and county prosecuting attorneys may provide the
driving record to alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies
approved by the department of social and health services to which the
named individual has applied or been assigned for evaluation or
treatment.
(4)(a) The director, upon proper request, shall furnish a certified
abstract covering the period of not more than the last three years to
insurance companies.
(b) The director may enter into a contractual agreement with an
insurance company or its agent for the limited purpose of reviewing the
driving records of existing policyholders for changes to the record
during specified periods of time. The department shall establish a fee
for this service, which must be deposited in the highway safety fund.
The fee for this service must be set at a level that will not result in
a net revenue loss to the state. Any information provided under this
subsection must be treated in the same manner and subject to the same
restrictions as certified abstracts.
(5) Upon proper request, the director shall furnish a certified
abstract covering a period of not more than the last five years to
state approved alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies, except
that the certified abstract shall also include records of alcohol-
related offenses as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2) covering a period of
not more than the last ten years.
(6) Upon proper request, a certified abstract of the full driving
record maintained by the department shall be furnished to a city or
county prosecuting attorney, to the individual named in the abstract,
to an employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of
an employer or prospective employer of the named individual, or to a
volunteer organization for which the named individual has submitted an
application for a position that could require the transportation of
children under eighteen years of age, adults over sixty-five years of
age, or persons with physical or mental disabilities, or to an employee
or agent of a transit authority checking prospective volunteer vanpool
drivers for insurance and risk management needs.
(7) The abstract, whenever possible, shall include:
(a) An enumeration of motor vehicle accidents in which the person
was driving;
(b) The total number of vehicles involved;
(c) Whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving;
(d) Whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the accident;
(e) Whether the accident resulted in any fatality;
(f) Any reported convictions, forfeitures of bail, or findings that
an infraction was committed based upon a violation of any motor vehicle
law;
(g) The status of the person's driving privilege in this state; and
(h) Any reports of failure to appear in response to a traffic
citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served upon
the named individual by an arresting officer.
(8) Certified abstracts furnished to prosecutors and alcohol/drug
assessment or treatment agencies shall also indicate whether a recorded
violation is an alcohol-related offense as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2)
that was originally charged as one of the alcohol-related offenses
designated in RCW 46.01.260(2)(b)(i).
(9) The abstract provided to the insurance company shall exclude
any information, except that related to the commission of misdemeanors
or felonies by the individual, pertaining to law enforcement officers
or firefighters as defined in RCW 41.26.030, or any officer of the
Washington state patrol, while driving official vehicles in the
performance of occupational duty. The abstract provided to the
insurance company shall include convictions for RCW 46.61.5249 and
46.61.525 except that the abstract shall report them only as negligent
driving without reference to whether they are for first or second
degree negligent driving. The abstract provided to the insurance
company shall exclude any deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.060,
except that if a person is removed from a deferred prosecution under
RCW 10.05.090, the abstract shall show the deferred prosecution as well
as the removal.
(10) The director shall collect for each abstract the sum of ten
dollars, fifty percent of which shall be deposited in the highway
safety fund and fifty percent of which must be deposited according to
RCW 46.68.038.
(11) Any insurance company or its agent receiving the certified
abstract shall use it exclusively for its own underwriting purposes and
shall not divulge any of the information contained in it to a third
party. No policy of insurance may be canceled, nonrenewed, denied, or
have the rate increased on the basis of such information unless the
policyholder was determined to be at fault. No insurance company or
its agent for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of
commercial motor vehicles may use any information contained in the
abstract relative to any person's operation of motor vehicles while not
engaged in such employment, nor may any insurance company or its agent
for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of noncommercial
motor vehicles use any information contained in the abstract relative
to any person's operation of commercial motor vehicles.
(12) Any employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on
behalf of an employer or prospective employer, or a volunteer
organization for which the named individual has submitted an
application for a position that could require the transportation of
children under eighteen years of age, adults over sixty-five years of
age, or persons with physical or mental disabilities, receiving the
certified abstract shall use it exclusively for his or her own purpose:
(a) To determine whether the licensee should be permitted to operate a
commercial vehicle or school bus, or operate a vehicle for a volunteer
organization for purposes of transporting children under eighteen years
of age, adults over sixty-five years of age, or persons with physical
or mental disabilities, upon the public highways of this state; or (b)
for employment purposes related to driving by an individual as a
condition of that individual's employment or otherwise at the direction
of the employer or organization, and shall not divulge any information
contained in it to a third party.
(13) Any employee or agent of a transit authority receiving a
certified abstract for its vanpool program shall use it exclusively for
determining whether the volunteer licensee meets those insurance and
risk management requirements necessary to drive a vanpool vehicle. The
transit authority may not divulge any information contained in the
abstract to a third party.
(14) Any alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency approved by
the department of social and health services receiving the certified
abstract shall use it exclusively for the purpose of assisting its
employees in making a determination as to what level of treatment, if
any, is appropriate. The agency, or any of its employees, shall not
divulge any information contained in the abstract to a third party.
(15) Release of a certified abstract of the driving record of an
employee, prospective employee, or prospective volunteer requires a
statement signed by: (a) The employee, prospective employee, or
prospective volunteer that authorizes the release of the record, and
(b) the employer or volunteer organization attesting that the
information is necessary: (i) To determine whether the licensee should
be employed to operate a commercial vehicle or school bus, or operate
a vehicle for a volunteer organization for purposes of transporting
children under eighteen years of age, adults over sixty-five years of
age, or persons with physical or mental disabilities, upon the public
highways of this state; or (ii) for employment purposes related to
driving by an individual as a condition of that individual's employment
or otherwise at the direction of the employer or organization. If the
employer or prospective employer authorizes an agent to obtain this
information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement. This
subsection does not apply to entities identified in subsection (1)(i)
of this section.
(16) Any negligent violation of this section is a gross
misdemeanor.
(17) Any intentional violation of this section is a class C
felony.
(1) Contents of abstract of driving record. An abstract of a
person's driving record, whenever possible, must include:
(a) An enumeration of motor vehicle accidents in which the person
was driving, including:
(i) The total number of vehicles involved;
(ii) Whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving;
(iii) Whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the
accident; and
(iv) Whether the accident resulted in a fatality;
(b) Any reported convictions, forfeitures of bail, or findings that
an infraction was committed based upon a violation of any motor vehicle
law;
(c) The status of the person's driving privilege in this state; and
(d) Any reports of failure to appear in response to a traffic
citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served upon
the named individual by an arresting officer.
(2) Release of abstract of driving record. An abstract of a
person's driving record may be furnished to the following persons or
entities:
(a) Named individuals. (i) An abstract of the full driving record
maintained by the department may be furnished to the individual named
in the abstract.
(ii) Nothing in this section prevents a court from providing a copy
of the driver's abstract to the individual named in the abstract,
provided that the named individual has a pending or open infraction or
criminal case in that court. A pending case includes criminal cases
that have not reached a disposition by plea, stipulation, trial, or
amended charge. An open infraction or criminal case includes cases on
probation, payment agreement or subject to, or in collections. Courts
may charge a reasonable fee for the production and copying of the
abstract for the individual.
(b) Employers or prospective employers. (i) An abstract of the
full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to an
employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of an
employer or prospective employer of the named individual for purposes
related to driving by the individual as a condition of employment or
otherwise at the direction of the employer.
(ii) Release of an abstract of the driving record of an employee or
prospective employee requires a statement signed by: (A) The employee
or prospective employee that authorizes the release of the record; and
(B) the employer attesting that the information is necessary for
employment purposes related to driving by the individual as a condition
of employment or otherwise at the direction of the employer. If the
employer or prospective employer authorizes an agent to obtain this
information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement.
(iii) Upon request of the person named in the abstract provided
under this subsection, and upon that same person furnishing copies of
court records ruling that the person was not at fault in a motor
vehicle accident, the department must indicate on any abstract provided
under this subsection that the person was not at fault in the motor
vehicle accident.
(c) Volunteer organizations. (i) An abstract of the full driving
record maintained by the department may be furnished to a volunteer
organization or an agent for a volunteer organization for which the
named individual has submitted an application for a position that would
require driving by the individual at the direction of the volunteer
organization.
(ii) Release of an abstract of the driving record of a prospective
volunteer requires a statement signed by: (A) The prospective
volunteer that authorizes the release of the record; and (B) the
volunteer organization attesting that the information is necessary for
purposes related to driving by the individual at the direction of the
volunteer organization. If the volunteer organization authorizes an
agent to obtain this information on their behalf, this must be noted in
the statement.
(d) Transit authorities. An abstract of the full driving record
maintained by the department may be furnished to an employee or agent
of a transit authority checking prospective volunteer vanpool drivers
for insurance and risk management needs.
(e) Insurance carriers. (i) An abstract of the driving record
maintained by the department covering the period of not more than the
last three years may be furnished to an insurance company or its agent:
(A) That has motor vehicle or life insurance in effect covering the
named individual;
(B) To which the named individual has applied; or
(C) That has insurance in effect covering the employer or a
prospective employer of the named individual.
(ii) The abstract provided to the insurance company must:
(A) Not contain any information related to actions committed by law
enforcement officers or firefighters, as both terms are defined in RCW
41.26.030, or by Washington state patrol officers, while driving
official vehicles in the performance of their occupational duty. This
does not apply to any situation where the vehicle was used in the
commission of a misdemeanor or felony;
(B) Include convictions under RCW 46.61.5249 and 46.61.525, except
that the abstract must report the convictions only as negligent driving
without reference to whether they are for first or second degree
negligent driving; and
(C) Exclude any deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.060, except
that if a person is removed from a deferred prosecution under RCW
10.05.090, the abstract must show the deferred prosecution as well as
the removal.
(iii) Any policy of insurance may not be canceled, nonrenewed,
denied, or have the rate increased on the basis of information
regarding an accident included in the abstract of a driving record,
unless the policyholder was determined to be at fault.
(iv) Any insurance company or its agent, for underwriting purposes
relating to the operation of commercial motor vehicles, may not use any
information contained in the abstract relative to any person's
operation of motor vehicles while not engaged in such employment. Any
insurance company or its agent, for underwriting purposes relating to
the operation of noncommercial motor vehicles, may not use any
information contained in the abstract relative to any person's
operation of commercial motor vehicles.
(v) The director may enter into a contractual agreement with an
insurance company or its agent for the limited purpose of reviewing the
driving records of existing policyholders for changes to the record
during specified periods of time. The department shall establish a fee
for this service, which must be deposited in the highway safety fund.
The fee for this service must be set at a level that will not result in
a net revenue loss to the state. Any information provided under this
subsection must be treated in the same manner and is subject to the
same restrictions as driving record abstracts.
(f) Alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies. An abstract of
the driving record maintained by the department covering the period of
not more than the last five years may be furnished to an alcohol/drug
assessment or treatment agency approved by the department of social and
health services to which the named individual has applied or been
assigned for evaluation or treatment, for purposes of assisting
employees in making a determination as to what level of treatment, if
any, is appropriate, except that the abstract must:
(i) Also include records of alcohol-related offenses, as defined in
RCW 46.01.260(2), covering a period of not more than the last ten
years; and
(ii) Indicate whether an alcohol-related offense was originally
charged as a violation of either RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504.
(g) City attorneys and county prosecuting attorneys. An abstract
of the full driving record maintained by the department, including
whether a recorded violation is an alcohol-related offense, as defined
in RCW 46.01.260(2), that was originally charged as a violation of
either RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, may be furnished to city attorneys
or county prosecuting attorneys. City attorneys and county prosecuting
attorneys may provide the driving record to alcohol/drug assessment or
treatment agencies approved by the department of social and health
services to which the named individual has applied or been assigned for
evaluation or treatment.
(h) State colleges, universities, or agencies, or units of local
government. An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the
department may be furnished to (i) state colleges, universities, or
agencies for employment and risk management purposes or (ii) units of
local government authorized to self-insure under RCW 48.62.031 for
employment and risk management purposes.
(i) Superintendent of public instruction. An abstract of the full
driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to the
superintendent of public instruction for review of public school bus
driver records. The superintendent or superintendent's designee may
discuss information on the driving record with an authorized
representative of the employing school district for employment and risk
management purposes.
(3) Release to third parties prohibited. Any person or entity
receiving an abstract of a person's driving record under subsection
(2)(b) through (i) of this section shall use the abstract exclusively
for his, her, or its own purposes or as otherwise expressly permitted
under this section, and shall not divulge any information contained in
the abstract to a third party.
(4) Fee. The director shall collect a ten-dollar fee for each
abstract of a person's driving record furnished by the department.
Fifty percent of the fee must be deposited in the highway safety fund,
and fifty percent of the fee must be deposited according to RCW
46.68.038.
(5) Violation. (a) Any negligent violation of this section is a
gross misdemeanor.
(b) Any intentional violation of this section is a class C felony.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2010, in the omnibus transportation appropriations act, this
act is null and void.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act takes effect October 31, 2010."
SHB 2939 -
By Committee on Transportation
ADOPTED 03/05/2010
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "accident;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 46.52.130; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date."
EFFECT: Bill is redrafted in "plain language," adds an effective date, specifies that documentation provided must be court rulings, and is effective only for employer inquiries.