FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2252

C 68 L 12

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning proof of payment for certain transportation fares and disclosure of certain information on transit passes and fare media.

Sponsors: House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representative Fitzgibbon).

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:

Metropolitan municipal corporations (Metros), regional transit authorities (RTAs), city-owned transit systems (city-owned transits), and public transportation benefit areas (PTBAs) are special purpose districts authorized to provide public transportation services within their respective boundaries. Passengers traveling on public transportation operated by Metros, RTAs, city-owned transits, and PTBAs are required to pay the established fare and to provide proof of payment when requested to do so by persons designated to monitor fare payment. Metros, RTAs, city-owned transits, and PTBAs are authorized to designate persons to monitor fare payment, and to establish a schedule of civil fines and penalties for civil infractions related to fare payment violations. A civil infraction not to exceed $250 may be issued by designated fare monitors to passengers who: fail to pay the fare; fail to provide proof of payment when requested to do so by a person designated to monitor fare payment; or refuse to leave the vehicle when asked by a person designated to monitor fare payment. The authority to issue civil citations for fare payment violations is supplemental to any other existing authority to enforce fare payment.

Certain transportation-related information is exempt from public disclosure requirements, including personally identifying information that an agency may have on vanpool riders, paratransit participants or applicants, transit passes, and transponders. All transit pass and other fare media payment information may be disclosed in aggregate form, or for certain law enforcement purposes, if the request is accompanied by a court order.

Generally speaking, "public transportation service" means the transportation of packages, passengers, and their incidental baggage by means other than by chartered bus or sight-seeing bus, together with the terminals and parking facilities necessary for passenger and vehicular access to and from such systems.

Summary:

Metros, RTAs, city-owned transits, and PTBAs are authorized to require passengers to produce proof of payment in a manner determined by the transit agency. This authority includes the ability to require a person using an electronic fare payment card to validate the card through the use of an electronic card reader.

In cases where fare payment is required prior to boarding a transit vehicle, Metros, RTAs, city-owned transits, and PTBAs are required to place conspicuous signage in boarding areas in order to issue civil infractions for failure to pay the required fare. The signage must clearly indicate the location where fare media may be purchased and that a person using a fare media card must present the card to an electronic reader before entering the transit vehicle or a restricted fare paid area.

The term personally identifying information, as used in relation to the disclosure of information regarding transit passes and other fare media, which may be disclosed to the entity who pays for the pass or fare media for the purpose of preventing fraud or to the news media when reporting on public transportation or public safety, is defined to include the purchase and use data collected on an individual's transit pass. The disclosure of aggregate data relating to transit passes is limited to purchase and use data.

Votes on Final Passage: