SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5978

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Judiciary, March 5, 2003

Title: An act relating to identifying the use of illegal drivers' licenses when renting a vehicle.

Brief Description: Identifying the use of illegal drivers' licenses when renting a vehicle.

Sponsors: Senators Prentice, Johnson, Shin and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Judiciary: 3/5/03 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5916 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chair; Esser, Vice Chair; Brandland, Hargrove, Johnson, Kline and Roach.

Staff: Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background: Concern has been expressed that people have been using fraudulent and fictitious drivers' licenses to rent motor vehicles. The technology exists to enable vehicle rental companies to check the validity of drivers' licenses before renting the vehicle.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The State Patrol and Department of Licensing through joint rule-making, in consultation with the car and truck renting and leasing association, develop a program that provides vehicle rental companies with the means to check the validity of drivers' licenses. The program must operate at no cost to the state. The State Patrol and Department of Licensing report the details of the program to the Legislature by December 31, 2003. The program must include mandatory procedures for reporting invalid driver's licenses.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The substitute provides that the program must include a procedure for mandatory reporting of invalid driver's licenses by rental companies.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Testimony For: Rental companies unknowingly rent expensive vehicles to drivers who should not be on our state highways. The technology exists to provide online checks of Washington driver's licenses.

Testimony Against: Concerns: Current federal regulations prohibit the release of out-of-state driver's license information to private entities. Con: DOL would have to charge for checking out-of-state driver's licenses.

Testified: PRO: Gordon Walgren, Car and Truck Renting and Leasing Association; CON: Peter Teets, Department of Licensing.