FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1473

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background:

In Washington, individuals may defer one moving and one non-moving traffic violation every seven years. As a condition of this deferral, a court may impose such conditions as the court finds appropriate, which often includes attendance at a driver improvement school or traffic school. If the individual meets all of the required conditions and has not committed another infraction, the court may dismiss the infraction at the end of the deferral period.

With certain limited exceptions, the Washington Supreme Court prescribes the schedule of monetary penalties for traffic infractions. Infraction Rule for Courts of Limited Jurisdictions 6.2 contains this schedule of monetary penalties and prescribes a base penalty of $42 for unscheduled infractions, which increases to $124 when various penalties and assessments are added to the base amount.

Summary:

The fees collected for attending a traffic school provided by a city, town, or county that are in excess of the cost of providing the traffic school may be used for the following activities:

safe driver education materials and programs;
safe driver education promotions and advertising; and
costs associated with the training of law enforcement officers.

A traffic school established by a city, town, or county may not charge a fee in excess of the penalty for an unscheduled traffic infraction established by the Washington Supreme Court, which is defined to include all assessments and other costs that are required by statute or rule to be added to the base penalty.

Votes on Final Passage:

House	98	0
Senate	41	7	(Senate amended)
House	96	0	(House concurred)