Title: An act relating to traffic infractions involving rental vehicles.

Brief Description: Addressing traffic infractions involving rental vehicles.

Sponsors: Representative Appleton.

Brief History: Passed House: 2/10/06, 98-0.

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/27/06 [DPA, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Benson, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Eide, Esser, Finkbeiner, Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Sheldon, Spanel, Swecker and Weinstein.

Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by Senator Benton.

Staff: Kelly Simpson (786-7403)

Background: In the event a traffic infraction is based on a vehicle's identification, and the vehicle's registered owner is a rental car business, the business has 30 days before receiving a notice of infraction to submit to the issuing law enforcement agency (1) a sworn statement stating the name and address of the driver or renter of the vehicle when the infraction occurred or (2) a sworn statement that the business is unable to determine who was driving or renting the vehicle when the infraction occurred. Timely mailing of the statement relieves the business of any liability for the infraction. Alternatively, the rental car business may pay the applicable penalty in lieu of identifying the vehicle operator.

No similar process exists in statute in the event a parking infraction is issued by a private parking facility against a vehicle owned by a rental car business.

Summary of Amended Bill: A parking infraction based on a vehicle's identification, issued by a private parking facility against a vehicle owned by a rental car business, is subject to a similar statutory scheme currently applicable to traffic infractions based on a vehicle's identification issued by law enforcement agencies.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: A corrective change was made in the definition subsection. Additionally, a change was made limiting the circumstances under which a rental car business may be relieved of liability for a traffic infraction committed in a rental vehicle. Specifically, a rental car company may be relieved of liability for a traffic infraction committed in a vehicle owned by the rental car business only if the business either: 1) provides the name and address of the individual renting the vehicle at the time of the infraction; or 2) states that the business is unable to determine who was driving the vehicle at the time of the infraction because the vehicle had been stolen, and furnishes a copy of a filed police report to that effect. This change was also made to corresponding language regarding rental car business relief from liability for toll enforcement camera infractions and traffic safety camera infractions.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: This bill simply makes a corrective change to the bill enacted last session regarding certain traffic infractions issued by law enforcement agencies against rented vehicles.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Bill Hanson, Car & Truck Rental & Leasing Assn.