BILL REQ. #: S-3378.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/09/12. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to the recovery of costs of studded tire damage to highways; amending RCW 46.37.420; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that substantial
pavement damage is caused by studded tire use. As a result, several
states have prohibited the use of studded tires. Therefore, to offset
pavement maintenance costs, a fee should be imposed on each new tire
sold that contains studs.
Sec. 2 RCW 46.37.420 and 2007 c 140 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) It is unlawful to operate a vehicle upon the public highways of
this state unless it is completely equipped with pneumatic rubber tires
except vehicles equipped with temporary-use spare tires that meet
federal standards that are installed and used in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
(2) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway may have on its
periphery any block, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance
of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of
the traction surface of the tire, except that it is permissible to use
farm machinery equipped with pneumatic tires or solid rubber tracks
having protuberances that will not injure the highway, and except also
that it is permissible to use tire chains or metal studs imbedded
within the tire of reasonable proportions and of a type conforming to
rules adopted by the state patrol, upon any vehicle when required for
safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a
vehicle to skid. It is unlawful to use metal studs imbedded within the
tire between April 1st and November 1st, except that a vehicle may be
equipped year-round with tires that have retractable studs if: (a) The
studs retract pneumatically or mechanically to below the wear bar of
the tire when not in use; and (b) the retractable studs are engaged
only between November 1st and April 1st. Retractable studs may be made
of metal or other material and are not subject to the lightweight stud
weight requirements under RCW 46.04.272. The state department of
transportation may, from time to time, determine additional periods in
which the use of tires with metal studs imbedded therein is lawful.
(3)(a) There is a five dollar fee on the sale of each new tire sold
that contains studs. The fee imposed under this subsection must be
paid by the buyer to the seller, and each seller shall collect from the
buyer the full amount of the fee. The fee collected from the buyer by
the seller must be paid to the department of revenue in accordance with
RCW 82.32.045. The fee collected must be deposited in the motor
vehicle account and be used for road maintenance.
(b) The department of revenue must collect on the business excise
tax return from the businesses selling new tires that contain studs at
retail the number of tires sold and the fee imposed under this
subsection. The department of revenue must incorporate into the
agency's audit cycle a reconciliation of the number of tires sold and
the amount of revenue collected by the businesses selling new tires
that contain studs.
(c) All other applicable provisions of chapter 82.32 RCW have full
force and application with respect to the fee imposed under this
subsection.
(d) The department of revenue must administer this subsection.
(e) For the purposes of this subsection, "a new tire that contains
studs" means a tire that is manufactured for vehicle purposes and does
not include retreaded vehicle tires.
(4) The state department of transportation and local authorities in
their respective jurisdictions may issue special permits authorizing
the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having
movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of the
movable tracks or farm tractors or other farm machinery, the operation
of which upon a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this
section.
(((4))) (5) Tires with metal studs imbedded therein may be used
between November 1st and April 1st upon school buses and fire
department vehicles, any law or regulation to the contrary
notwithstanding.