HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1971

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to traffic safety.

Brief Description:  Enhancing traffic safety.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (Originally sponsored by Representatives D. Sommers, Wood, Benson, Schindler and Gombosky).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/23/99, 3/2/99 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/12/99, 96-0.

Senate Amended.

Passed Senate:  4/14/99, 48-0.

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$If an individual is responsible for an accident resulting in a fatality, a law enforcement officer must report the individual to the Department of Licensing.

$The Traffic Safety Commission must make recommendations and periodically report to the Legislature regarding the bicycle/pedestrian education program.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; K. Schmidt, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Edwards, Democratic 2nd Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Buck; G. Chandler; DeBolt; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Mitchell; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Scott; Skinner and Wood.

Staff:  Jennifer Hanlon Ziegler (786-7316).

Background:

In 1998 the Legislature passed the Cooper Jones Act regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.  The legislation required the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to form a bicycle and pedestrian safety education committee.

The legislation also required a law enforcement officer to report a driver to the Department of Licensing for a new driver's license test if there was a collision resulting in a fatality or serious injury, the driver was responsible for the collision, and the officer determined the driver was not competent to operate a motor vehicle.

The Department of Licensing must retest a driver reported for a fatality accident and may retest a driver reported for a serious injury accident.

Summary of Bill:

An officer must report a driver to the Department of Licensing if there was a crash resulting in a fatality and the driver was responsible for the crash. 

A law enforcement officer must report a driver to the Department of Licensing if there was an accident resulting in a serious injury, the driver was responsible for the accident, and the officer determined the driver was not competent to operate a motor vehicle.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission must make periodic reports to the Legislature regarding the progress of the bicycle and pedestrian education program.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The Department of Licensing is also required to retest drivers reported for serious injury accidents.  Penalties are established or increased for motor carriers without a drug testing program and motor carriers who fail to comply with the federal drug testing program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  (Original bill) This legislation fulfills the intent of the original Cooper Jones Act of 1988.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Michael Temple, Bicycle Alliance of Washington.