SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6467

              As Passed Senate, February 11, 2000

 

Title:  An act relating to vehicle, vessel, and aircraft license fraud.

 

Brief Description:  Reversing the 1999 license fraud law.

 

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Goings, Haugen, Eide, Sellar and Winsley).

 

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  1/25/2000, 1/28/2000 [DPS].

Passed Senate, 2/11/2000, 44-0.

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

 

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6467 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Costa, Eide, Heavey, Jacobsen, Johnson, Morton, Oke, Sellar, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

 

Staff:  Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

 

Background:  In 1999, the Legislature decriminalized license fraud and enacted civil penalties for intentionally licensing a vehicle in another state.  Individuals who license vehicles in another state to avoid paying Washington taxes or fees are liable for a minimum monetary penalty of $1000 and a maximum penalty of $10,000.

 

The Legislature also authorized the Washington State Patrol to use an administrative process to enforce the civil penalties established for license fraud.  As a result of establishing this process, local law enforcement officials no longer had the authority to issue citations for license fraud.

 

Summary of Bill:  The specific administrative process for the Washington State Patrol is eliminated.  The criminal penalties for license fraud are reinstated.  Intentionally registering a vehicle in another state to evade Washington taxes and fees constitutes a gross misdemeanor.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 17, 2000.

 

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

 

Testimony For:  This legislation corrects an inadvertent result of previous legislation.  It enables local law enforcement to issue license fraud citations.  The bill will give law enforce­ment officers the authority they need to do their job.

 

Testimony Against:  None.

 

Testified:  Senator Goings, prime sponsor; Deputy J. Sousley, Pierce County Sheriff=s Office (pro); Captain Eric Robertson, Washington State Patrol (pro - sub).

 

House Amendment(s):  An emergency clause is added.