FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5062

                                   C 66 L 87

BYSenators Talmadge, Newhouse, Halsan and Rasmussen; by request of Washington State Patrol

Establishing information from another officer as probable cause to stop suspected traffic violators.

Senate Committee on Judiciary

House Committe on Judiciary

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Current law requires that an officer observe a violation before issuing a traffic infraction or citation with the exception of instances involving traffic accidents.  Local court rulings have been that an officer cannot take enforcement action based only on information received from another officer who has observed the violation.  For example, an officer on the ground cannot issue a citation for speeding at the request of an officer who observed the violation from an aircraft.

SUMMARY:

At the request of or based upon information received from an officer who has witnessed a traffic infraction, another officer may stop, detain, arrest or issue a notice of traffic infraction to the driver believed to have committed the violation.  The request or information received from the observing officer constitutes the necessary probable cause.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    37     8

      House 96   0

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987