BILL REQ. #:  H-4839.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/02/10.   

     AN ACT Relating to mandating a twelve-hour impound hold on motor vehicles used by persons arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; reenacting and amending RCW 46.55.113; adding new sections to chapter 46.55 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   This act shall be known and cited as Hailey's Law.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) Despite every effort, the problem of driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains a great threat to the lives and safety of citizens. Over five hundred people are killed by traffic accidents in Washington each year and impaired vehicle operators account for almost forty-five percent, or over two hundred deaths per year. That is, impairment is the leading cause of traffic deaths in this state;
     (b) Over thirty-nine thousand people are arrested each year in Washington for driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Persons arrested for driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs may still be impaired after they are cited and released and could return to drive or control a vehicle. If the vehicle was impounded, there is nothing to stop the impaired person from going to the tow truck operator's storage facility and redeeming the vehicle while still impaired;
     (c) More can be done to deter those arrested for driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Approximately one-third of those arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence are repeat offenders. Vehicle impoundment effectively increases deterrence and prevents an impaired operator from accessing the vehicle for a specified time. In addition, vehicle impoundment provides an appropriate measure of accountability for registered owners who allow impaired operators to drive or control their vehicles, but it also allows the registered owners to redeem their vehicles once impounded. Any inconvenience on a registered owner is outweighed by the need to protect the public;
     (d) In order to protect public safety and to enforce the state's laws, it is reasonable and necessary to mandatorily impound the vehicle operated by a person who has been arrested for driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
     (2) The legislature intends by this act:
     (a) To change the primary reason for impounding the vehicle operated by a person arrested for driving or controlling a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The purpose of impoundment under this act is to protect the public from a person operating a vehicle while still impaired, rather than to prevent a potential traffic obstruction; and
     (b) To require that officers have no discretion as to whether or not to order an impound after they have arrested a vehicle operator with reasonable grounds to believe the operator of the vehicle was driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or was in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) When an operator of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, the vehicle is subject to summary impoundment and the vehicle must be impounded. With the exception of the twelve-hour hold mandated under this section, the procedures for notice, redemption, storage, auction, and sale shall remain the same as for other impounded vehicles under this chapter.
     (2)(a) When an operator of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and the operator is the registered owner of the vehicle, the impounded vehicle may not be redeemed within a twelve-hour period following the time the impounded vehicle arrives at the registered tow truck operator's storage facility as noted in the registered tow truck operator's master log.
     (b) When an operator of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and the operator is the registered owner of the vehicle, the police officer directing the impound shall notify the operator that the impounded vehicle may not be redeemed within a twelve-hour period following the time the impounded vehicle arrives at the registered tow truck operator's storage facility as noted in the registered tow truck operator's master log.
     (c) A registered tow truck operator that releases an impounded vehicle pursuant to the requirements stated in this subsection is not liable for injuries or damages sustained by the operator or third parties that may result from the operator's intoxicated state.
     (3)(a) When an operator of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and the operator is not the registered owner of the vehicle, the impounded vehicle may be redeemed by the registered owner after the impounded vehicle arrives at the registered tow truck operator's storage facility as noted in the registered tow truck operator's master log.
     (b) When an operator of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 and the operator is not the registered owner of the vehicle, the police officer directing the impound shall notify the operator that the impounded vehicle may be redeemed by the registered owner after the impounded vehicle arrives at the registered tow truck operator's storage facility as noted in the registered tow truck operator's master log.
     (c) A registered tow truck operator that releases an impounded vehicle pursuant to the requirements stated in this subsection is not liable for injuries or damages sustained by the operator or third parties that may result from the operator's intoxicated state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   If an impoundment arising from an alleged violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 is determined to be in violation of this chapter, then the law enforcement officer directing the impoundment and the government employing the officer are not liable for damages for loss of use of the vehicle if the officer had reasonable grounds to believe that the operator of the vehicle was driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or was in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug.

Sec. 5   RCW 46.55.113 and 2007 c 242 s 1 and 2007 c 86 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever the driver of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW ((46.61.502, 46.61.504,)) 46.20.342((,)) or 46.20.345, the vehicle is subject to summary impoundment, pursuant to the terms and conditions of an applicable local ordinance or state agency rule at the direction of a law enforcement officer.
     (2) In addition, a police officer may take custody of a vehicle, at his or her discretion, and provide for its prompt removal to a place of safety under any of the following circumstances:
     (a) Whenever a police officer finds a vehicle standing upon the roadway in violation of any of the provisions of RCW 46.61.560, the officer may provide for the removal of the vehicle or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move the vehicle to a position off the roadway;
     (b) Whenever a police officer finds a vehicle unattended upon a highway where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic or jeopardizes public safety;
     (c) Whenever a police officer finds an unattended vehicle at the scene of an accident or when the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident is physically or mentally incapable of deciding upon steps to be taken to protect his or her property;
     (d) Whenever the driver of a vehicle is arrested and taken into custody by a police officer;
     (e) Whenever a police officer discovers a vehicle that the officer determines to be a stolen vehicle;
     (f) Whenever a vehicle without a special license plate, placard, or decal indicating that the vehicle is being used to transport a person with disabilities under RCW 46.16.381 is parked in a stall or space clearly and conspicuously marked under RCW 46.61.581 which space is provided on private property without charge or on public property;
     (g) Upon determining that a person is operating a motor vehicle without a valid and, if required, a specially endorsed driver's license or with a license that has been expired for ninety days or more;
     (h) When a vehicle is illegally occupying a truck, commercial loading zone, restricted parking zone, bus, loading, hooded-meter, taxi, street construction or maintenance, or other similar zone where, by order of the director of transportation or chiefs of police or fire or their designees, parking is limited to designated classes of vehicles or is prohibited during certain hours, on designated days or at all times, if the zone has been established with signage for at least twenty-four hours and where the vehicle is interfering with the proper and intended use of the zone. Signage must give notice to the public that a vehicle will be removed if illegally parked in the zone;
     (i) When a vehicle with an expired registration of more than forty-five days is parked on a public street.
     (3) When an arrest is made for a violation of RCW 46.20.342, if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle and the driver of the vehicle is not the owner of the vehicle, before the summary impoundment directed under subsection (1) of this section, the police officer shall attempt in a reasonable and timely manner to contact the owner of the vehicle and may release the vehicle to the owner if the owner is reasonably available, as long as the owner was not in the vehicle at the time of the stop and arrest and the owner has not received a prior release under this subsection or RCW 46.55.120(1)(a)(ii).
     (4) Nothing in this section may derogate from the powers of police officers under the common law. For the purposes of this section, a place of safety may include the business location of a registered tow truck operator.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 46.55 RCW.