SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6263

              As Passed Senate, February 15, 2000

Title:  An act relating to drivers' licenses.

Brief Description:  Verifying the legal parents or guardians of minor drivers.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Zarelli, Brown, Haugen, Swecker and Johnson).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  1/25/2000, 2/1/2000 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/15/2000, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6263 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Benton, Costa, Eide, Heavey, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Sheahan, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

Background:  An application for a driver's license for a person under the age of 18 must be signed by a parent or guardian with custody of the minor.  Currently, the Department of Licensing requires parents or guardians to provide the department with evidence of their relationship with the minor.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Licensing must furnish a form that allows an adult to affirm in writing that he or she is the minor's parent or guardian and provide identification to the department.  No other documentation or proof of the adult's relationship to the minor is required.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This is a common sense approach to the driver=s license process that protects the privacy of parents that have been through a divorce.

Testimony Against:  Additional evidence is required to prevent fraud in the driver=s license process.

Testified:  Senator Zarelli, prime sponsor (pro); Dee Scharf, Department of Licensing (con).