SENATE BILL REPORT
SSB 6280
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. |
As Passed Senate, February 13, 2014
Title: An act relating to department of transportation numbers for certain farm vehicles.
Brief Description: Providing an exemption from the department of transportation number requirement for certain farm vehicles.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators King, Hobbs, Hatfield and Schoesler).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Transportation: 1/29/14, 1/30/14 [DPS].
Passed Senate: 2/13/14, 47-2.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION |
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6280 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Eide, Co-Chair; King, Co-Chair; Hobbs, Vice Co-Chair; Fain, Budget Leadership Cabinet; Angel, Brown, Cleveland, Dansel, Ericksen, Liias, Mullet, O'Ban and Rolfes.
Staff: Amanda Cecil (786-7429)
Background: Federal law requires companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce to be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and have a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number. USDOT numbers are assigned to companies and serve as a unique identifier when collecting and monitoring a company's safety information acquired during audits, compliance reviews, crash investigations, and inspections across their entire fleet.
Under state law, all motor vehicles owned and operated by farmers in the transportation of their own products must have a USDOT number but are exempt from safety audits and compliance reviews.
Summary of Substitute Bill: Motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 26,001 pounds that are owned and operated by farmers in the intrastate transportation of their own products are exempt from the requirement to have a USDOT number.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The existing requirement causes a lot of confusion for farmers because they use these vehicles for both commercial and noncommercial uses. This is a narrow exemption and does not impact vehicles that are over 26,000 pounds and therefore more of a safety risk. This will provide relief from overregulation by applying the requirements only to those higher-risk vehicles.
OTHER: USDOT allows law enforcement to monitor carriers' safety and fitness and removing this requirement will limit that ability.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Jack Field, WA Cattlemen Assn.; Scott Dilley, WA Farm Bureau; Holli Johnson, WA State Grange.
OTHER: Melissa Van Gorkom, WA State Patrol.