H-3464              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1453

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Appelwick, Winsley, Fisher and Jacobsen

Read first time 1/15/88 and referred to Committee on Constitution, Elections & Ethics.

AN ACT Relating to disclosure of vehicle registration records; and amending RCW 46.12.380.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 2, chapter 241, Laws of 1984 as amended by section 1, chapter 299, Laws of 1987 and RCW 46.12.380 are each amended to read as follows:

          Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 42.17 RCW, the name or address of an individual vehicle owner shall not be released by the department, county auditor,  or other public agency except ((upon written request, signed by the person requesting disclosure, stating their full legal name and address.  The request for disclosure is itself a public record, subject to inspection and copying, and shall be retained by the disclosing agency for two years)) under the following circumstances:

(1) As necessary to carry out the duties or authorized activities of the department; or

(2) To a federal, state, local, or Canadian government agency or educational institution, or its authorized commercial agents or contractors, only for use in, and to the extent necessary for, the performance of the duties of the government agency; or

(3) To persons otherwise permitted by law to obtain access to or copies of the department's records, only to the extent necessary to achieve the purpose of the law or laws permitting such disclosure.

          Notice that such a disclosure request has been honored shall be sent to the affected vehicle owner by the disclosing agency, indicating the name and address of the person requesting disclosure.

          ((This section shall not apply to persons who routinely request disclosure of vehicle registration information for use in the course of their business or occupation.))