HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1971

                    As Passed Legislature

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.

House Concurred.

Passed Legislature.

           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.

$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.

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 Department of Licensing is also required to retest drivers reported for serious injury accidents.

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

Penalties are established or increased for motor carriers without a drug testing program and motor carriers who fail to comply with the federal testing program.  There is a $1,500 penalty for not implementing or being out of compliance with the testing program, a $500 penalty for each employed driver that is out of compliance, and a $1,500 penalty when an employer knowingly uses a driver that tests positive.

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.