HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1584

As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to vehicle license renewals.

Brief Description:  Revising requirements for vehicle license renewal.

Sponsors:  By Representatives Haigh, Cooper, Ericksen and Morell; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/15/01, 2/19/01 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/9/01, 98-0.

Passed Senate: 4/12/01, 47-0.

Passed Legislature.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Removes the requirement for a registered owner of a vehicle to submit the last certificate of registration to the Department of Licensing when renewing their vehicle license.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co‑Chair; Mitchell, Republican Co‑Chair; Cooper, Democratic Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Lovick, Democratic Vice Chair; Ahern, Anderson, Armstrong, G. Chandler, Edmonds, Haigh, Hatfield, Hurst, Jackley, Jarrett, Marine, Mielke, Morell, Ogden, Reardon, Rockefeller, Romero, Schindler, Simpson, Sump, Wood and Woods.

Staff:  Reema Griffith (786‑7301).

Background:

Under current law the registered owner of a vehicle must submit their last certificate of registration in order to renew their vehicle license.  However, because this language was written over 40 years ago, this requirement has now become obsolete with the advent of technology and automation.  Today, a vehicle license can be renewed a couple of ways: a) through the mail using the renewal notice sent by the Department of Licensing (DOL) to all vehicle owners; or b) by going into any DOL office and, with or without any documentation, renew their license by simply giving their license plate number to the DOL employee who can then pull up the entire file on that vehicle via computer.  Thus, the need for a vehicle owner to provide the actual, hard-copy of the last certificate of registration is no longer needed at all in order to process the renewal, and because of this, has not been a business practice of the department for many years.

Summary of Bill:

In order to update statutory language to reflect the current business practices of the department,  HB 1584 removes the requirement for a registered owner of a vehicle to submit the last certificate of registration to DOL when renewing their vehicle license.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

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

Testimony For:  Updates current statutory language to reflect DOL=s current business practices.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Deb McCurley, Department of Licensing.