HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6505

                       As Passed House

                        March 2, 1994

Title:  An act relating to public transit facility security.

Brief Description:  Providing for public facility transit security.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators M. Rasmussen, Prince, Vognild, Sellar, Winsley and Drew).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 23, 1994, DP.

Passed House, March 2, 1994, 96-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Mielke, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Brough; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Finkbeiner; Forner; Fuhrman; Hansen; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; Orr; Patterson; Quall; Romero; Sheldon; Shin; Wood and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786-7322).

Background:  Currently there are no statutes that permit the issuance of an injunction or restraining order against a person who repeatedly obstructs the operation of transit vehicles.

Counties, cities, towns and other municipalities have no express statutory authority to restrict persons from carrying firearms on transit vehicles, in transit stations, or on transit property, although some transit agencies have rules and regulations restricting firearms.

Summary of Bill:  It is a public nuisance to obstruct or impede the operation of municipal transit vehicles, or to obstruct or impede access to municipal transit stations.  An action may be brought by the transit agency to enjoin the person creating the nuisance from continuing such behavior.  Persons who obstruct, impede or interfere with the operation of transit vehicles are guilty of unlawful bus conduct, which is a misdemeanor.

A "municipal transit station" means all facilities, structures, lands, interest in lands, air rights over lands, and rights-of-way of all kinds that are owned, leased, held or used by cities, towns, counties and any other municipalities for the purpose of providing public transit, including park and ride lots, transit centers and tunnels, and bus shelters.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill would enable transit systems to obtain an injunction against persons who repeatedly harass transit drivers.  The injunction would prevent troublemakers from riding the bus.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Jeff Benoit, Pierce Transit; Doug Bird, Spokane Transit; and Raymond Frank, King County METRO.