HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2733

                      As Passed House:

                      February 11, 2000

Title:  An act relating to representation of persons subject to traffic infraction proceedings.

Brief Description:  Allowing family member representation for traffic charges against non‑English speaking persons.

Sponsors:  Representatives Wensman, Mastin, Skinner, Rockefeller and Santos.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Judiciary:  2/1/00, 2/3/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/11/00, 96-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows a person who is not fluent in English to be represented by an immediate family member in traffic infraction hearings.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Carrell, Republican Co-Chair; Constantine, Democratic Co-Chair; Hurst, Democratic Vice Chair; Lambert, Republican Vice Chair; Cox; Dickerson; Esser; Kastama; Lantz; Lovick; McDonald and Schindler.

Staff:  Edie Adams (786-7180).

Background:

The Motor Vehicle Title of the code establishes rules relating to driving and the roadways, and violations of many of these rules are civil traffic infractions.  A person who is issued a notice of traffic infraction may respond either by not contesting the infraction and paying the fine or by asking for a hearing to contest the infraction or explain mitigating circumstances.

Statute and court rules provide procedures applicable to any proceeding to contest a determination that a person has committed a traffic infraction or to explain mitigating circumstances.  Both the statute and court rules provide that a person may be represented by counsel at the proceeding.

Summary of Bill:

A person subject to traffic infraction proceedings may be represented by an immediate family member if the person is not fluent in English.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  There is no reason for a person to have to hire an attorney to represent them in a simple traffic infraction proceeding.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Wensman, prime sponsor.