BILL REQ. #:  H-2870.2 

Read first time 01/20/14.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a motorcycle road guard certificate; adding a new section to chapter 46.81A RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 46.81A RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) The director must create and issue a motorcycle road guard certificate to an applicant that satisfies the following requirements, in addition to any other requirements established by the director by rule in consultation with motorcycle skills education course instructors:
     (i) Is at least eighteen years of age;
     (ii) Possesses a valid driver's license; and
     (iii) Has successfully completed a motorcycle road guard certification course developed and offered by the Washington motorcycle safety program.
     (b) The director, in consultation with motorcycle skills education course instructors, must establish safety and equipment standards for motorcycle road guard certificate holders, including mandatory reflective safety vests.
     (2) If the Washington state patrol or local law enforcement is unavailable to control vehicle traffic for the purposes of a motorcycle group ride, the holder of a motorcycle road guard certificate may direct motorcycles within the group ride or other vehicle traffic affected by the group ride to stop until it is safe to proceed or to operate contrary to traffic control signals. A motorcycle within the group ride or vehicle traffic affected by the group ride may proceed only when directed by the motorcycle road guard certificate holder.
     (3) The director must establish by rule a motorcycle road guard certificate applicant fee to cover department costs.
     (4) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.
     (5) The director must adopt rules to implement this section.