FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5868

C 367 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Releasing driving abstracts of prospective volunteers.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Highways & Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Brown, West, Sheahan and Kohl-Welles).

Senate Committee on Highways & Transportation

House Committee on Transportation

Background: Currently, the Department of Licensing (DOL) may provide certified abstracts of driving records covering three years or less to prospective or current insurance companies upon request. Certified abstracts of driving records covering five years or less may be given to state-approved alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies, with information on additional alcohol-related offenses from no more than ten years. Certified abstracts of full driving records must be provided, upon proper request, to the driver, current employers or their agents, prospective employers or their agents, city and county prosecuting attorneys, and an employee or agent of a transit authority checking volunteer vanpool drivers for risk assessment and insurance needs.

Summary: Upon proper request by a volunteer organization, DOL must provide a certified abstract of the full driving record of an individual who has submitted an application for a position that could require the transportation of children under 18 years of age, adults over 65 years of age, or physically or mentally disabled persons. The release of the abstract requires a statement signed by: (1) the volunteer or prospective volunteer; and (2) the volunteer organization. A volunteer organization may only use the certified abstract to determine whether the individual should be allowed to operate a commercial vehicle, school bus, vehicle for a volunteer organization for purposes of transporting children, adults over 65, or disabled persons.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       46  0

House       84  2

Effective: July 27, 2003