Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Transportation Committee

SSB 6075

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.

Brief Description: Addressing the disclosure of vehicle owner information.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Carrell and Harper).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Limits the information that the Department of Licensing (DOL) may provide to the vehicle owner when the owner's information is requested by an attorney or private investigator to the fact that DOL has disclosed the owner's name and address, the date that the DOL disclosed the information, and that the owner may contact the DOL to find out the occupation of the requesting party if the vehicle owner contacts the DOL within five days.

  • Requires that a fee of $2 be collected per record requested by any business entity and deposited into the Highway Safety Account.

Hearing Date: 2/24/12

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

Business entities may request the name and address of individual vehicle owners for use in the course of business from the Department of Licensing (DOL). The business entity must submit the request in writing, provide the full legal name and address of the requesting party, and specify the purpose for which the information will be used. The requesting party must enter into a disclosure agreement with the DOL that declares that the information will be used only for the purposes stated in the request for information. Where both a mailing address and a residence address are recorded on the vehicle record and the addresses differ, only the mailing address will be disclosed to a business entity.

If the DOL provides the name or address of a vehicle owner to an attorney or private investigator requesting such information, the DOL must notify the vehicle owner that the information has been disclosed. The notice must include the name and address of the attorney or private investigator.

Summary of Bill:

The notice that the DOL provides to a vehicle owner when the owner's information has been disclosed to an attorney or private investigator must only contain:

In response to an inquiry from the vehicle owner, the DOL is prohibited from disclosing any information about the requesting party other than whether it was an attorney or private investigator.

A fee of $2 must be collected per record requested by any business entity and deposited into the Highway Safety Account.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.