Z-0265.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5572

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Heavey, Horn, Costa, Kohl‑Welles, Kline, Patterson, Benton, Winsley and Oke; by request of Washington State Patrol

Read first time 01/28/1999.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Clarifying status of HOV lane violations as traffic infractions.

    AN ACT Relating to high-occupancy vehicle lane violations; and amending RCW 46.61.165.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.61.165 and 1998 c 245 s 90 are each amended to read as follows:

    The state department of transportation and the local authorities are authorized to reserve all or any portion of any highway under their respective jurisdictions, including any designated lane or ramp, for the exclusive or preferential use of public transportation vehicles or private motor vehicles carrying no fewer than a specified number of passengers when such limitation will increase the efficient utilization of the highway or will aid in the conservation of energy resources.  ((There is hereby appropriated from the transportation fund‑-state to the department of transportation, program C for the period ending June 30, 1993, an additional $15 million for the sole purpose of expediting completion of the HOV core lane system.))  Regulations authorizing such exclusive or preferential use of a highway facility may be declared to be effective at all times or at specified times of day or on specified days.  Violation of a restriction of highway usage prescribed by the appropriate authority under this section is a traffic infraction.

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