S-747 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 5070
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Senators Cantu and Smith
Read first time 1/11/89 and referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to motor vehicle 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.)) A person
requesting information contained in the vehicle records maintained by the
department shall identify himself or herself and state the reason for making
the request. The request shall be in writing and signed by the person
requesting the disclosure. The department, county auditor, or other public
agency processing the request shall require the person to produce such
information as the department determines necessary to verify the person's true
identity and address.
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 42.17 RCW, the department, county auditor, or other public agency processing the request shall not divulge any information contained in the department's vehicle records unless the person requesting the information provides the following to the department, county auditor, or other public agency processing the request:
(a) The name of the registered owner; and
(b) The vehicle identification number of the vehicle or the vehicle license plate number assigned to the vehicle.
(2) The procedures required by subsection (1) of this section do not apply to the state or any of its departments, agencies, or political subdivisions, any court, a law enforcement officer, a licensed private investigator, insurance companies, commercial parking facilities, financial institutions, and enterprises under the jurisdiction of the state division of banking and finance or a federal monetary authority, the federal government or any of its agencies, or any attorney admitted to practice in this state who alleges that the information is relevant to any pending or potential court proceeding. 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.
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.))
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.