BILL REQ. #: H-1998.2

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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1455
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State of Washington

59th Legislature

2005 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Haigh, Wallace, Kagi, Dickerson and Chase)

READ FIRST TIME 02/24/05.

AN ACT Relating to reducing nuisance noise from off-road vehicles; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1)(a) A joint select committee on off-road vehicle noise management is established. The joint select committee consists of the following members:
     (i) Two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of which must be the chair of the state government operations and accountability committee; and
     (ii) Two members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
     (b) The committee shall choose its chair from among its membership.
     (2) The committee shall review the following issues:
     (a) The appropriateness and enforceability of current decibel requirements for off-road vehicles;
     (b) The appropriateness of any off-road vehicle usage requirements
that would minimize nuisance noise impacts on those not operating the off-road vehicle;
     (c) The applicability and consistency of local ordinances concerning noise and off-road vehicle usage; and
     (d) The availability of, and barriers to, using public lands or other large ownerships to create areas where off-road vehicles can be operated with minimum noise disturbance of neighbors.
     (3) The committee, where feasible and when requested by the members of the committee, may consult with individuals from the public and private sector or ask such persons to establish an advisory committee.
     (4)(a) The committee shall use legislative facilities, and the house office of program research and senate committee services shall provide staff support. The committee may hire additional staff with specific technical expertise if the expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of this study.
     (b) Legislative members of the committee will be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120.
     (5) The committee shall report its findings and recommendations in the form of draft legislation to the legislature by December 1, 2005.
     (6) This section expires July 1, 2006.

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