HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1124

                       As Passed House

                      February 7, 1994

Title:  An act relating to vehicles boarding ferries.

Brief Description:  Prohibiting crowding in ferry vehicle lines.

Sponsors:  Representatives Heavey and Zellinsky.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 16, 1993, DP;

  Passed House, February 7, 1994, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 24 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Brough; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Forner; Fuhrman; Hansen; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; R. Meyers; H. Myers; Orr; Patterson; Quall; Sheldon; Shin; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Miller.

Staff:  Vicki Fabré (786-7313).

Background:  Vehicles using the state ferry system are loaded on a first-come, first-serve basis.  However, in order to encourage more efficient use of the ferry system and to reduce dependency on the single-occupant, private vehicle, preferential loading privileges are granted to certain classes of vehicles, e.g. emergency vehicles, vehicles transporting persons with severe illnesses or disabilities, and public transportation vehicles.

Cars waiting to board a state ferry at a ferry terminal located in a residential neighborhood often leave a space between cars to give residents access to and from their driveways.  Some drivers, who do not qualify for preferential loading privileges, abuse this practice by cutting in front of another vehicle in a queue waiting to board the ferry.

Summary of Bill:  A driver of a motor vehicle without preferential loading privileges who moves in front of another vehicle in a queue waiting to board a state ferry is guilty of a traffic infraction.

State and local law enforcement officers in areas served by state ferries have concurrent jurisdiction to enforce this provision.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The creation of a traffic infraction for drivers who cut in front of another vehicle in a queue waiting to board a state ferry will discourage behavior of this nature in the future.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  David Allen, Fauntleroy; and Terry McCarthy, Marine Division, Department of Transportation.