BILL REQ. #:  S-0910.3 

Read first time 01/25/2005.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to the "Share the Road" special license plate to commemorate Cooper Jones; amending RCW 46.16.333; reenacting and amending RCW 46.16.313 and 43.59.150; adding new sections to chapter 46.16 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 46.04 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature recognizes that the "Share the Road" license plate has been reviewed by the special license plate review board under RCW 46.16.725, and found to fully comply with RCW 46.16.715 through 46.16.775.
     (2) The department shall issue a special license plate displaying a symbol or artwork, approved by the special license plate review board and the legislature, recognizing an organization that promotes bicycle safety and awareness education. The special license plate may be used in lieu of regular or personalized license plates for vehicles required to display one or two vehicle license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department. The special plates will commemorate the life of Cooper Jones.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:
     "Share the Road license plates" means license plates that commemorate the life of Cooper Jones and display a symbol of an organization that promote bicycle safety and awareness education in communities throughout Washington.

Sec. 3   RCW 46.16.313 and 2004 c 221 s 3, 2004 c 48 s 3, and 2004 c 35 s 3 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department may establish a fee of no more than forty dollars for each type of special license plates issued under RCW 46.16.301(1) (a), (b), or (c), as existing before amendment by section 5, chapter 291, Laws of 1997, in an amount calculated to offset the cost of production of the special license plates and the administration of this program. This fee is in addition to all other fees required to register and license the vehicle for which the plates have been requested. All such additional special license plate fees collected by the department shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the motor vehicle fund.
     (2) In addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a motor vehicle, the holder of a collegiate license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. The state treasurer shall credit the funds to the appropriate collegiate license plate fund as provided in RCW 28B.10.890.
     (3) In addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a motor vehicle registration, the holder of a collegiate license plate shall pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. The state treasurer shall credit the funds to the appropriate collegiate license plate fund as provided in RCW 28B.10.890.
     (4) In addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a motor vehicle, the holder of a special baseball stadium license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds, minus the cost of plate production, shall be distributed to a county for the purpose of paying the principal and interest payments on bonds issued by the county to construct a baseball stadium, as defined in RCW 82.14.0485, including reasonably necessary preconstruction costs, while the taxes are being collected under RCW 82.14.360. After this date, the state treasurer shall credit the funds to the state general fund.
     (5) In addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a motor vehicle registration, the holder of a special baseball stadium license plate shall pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be distributed to a county for the purpose of paying the principal and interest payments on bonds issued by the county to construct a baseball stadium, as defined in RCW 82.14.0485, including reasonably necessary preconstruction costs, while the taxes are being collected under RCW 82.14.360. After this date, the state treasurer shall credit the funds to the state general fund.
     (6) Effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on January 1, 2005, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a vehicle, the holder of a professional fire fighters and paramedics license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Under RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the professional fire fighters and paramedics license plates. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters benevolent fund established under RCW 46.16.30902.
     (7) Effective with annual renewals due or to become due on January 1, 2006, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a vehicle registration, the holder of a professional fire fighters and paramedics license plate shall, upon application, pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Under RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the professional fire fighters and paramedics special license plate. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters benevolent fund established under RCW 46.16.30902.
     (8) Effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on November 1, 2004, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a vehicle, the holder of a "Helping Kids Speak" license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "Helping Kids Speak" special license plate. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the "Helping Kids Speak" account established under RCW 46.16.30904.
     (9) Effective with annual renewals due or to become due on November 1, 2005, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a vehicle registration, the holder of a "Helping Kids Speak" license plate shall, upon application, pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "Helping Kids Speak" special license plate. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the "Helping Kids Speak" account established under RCW 46.16.30904.
     (10) Effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on January 1, 2005, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a vehicle, the holder of a "law enforcement memorial" license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the law enforcement memorial special license plate. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the law enforcement memorial account established under RCW 46.16.30906.
     (11) Effective with annual renewals due or to become due on January 1, 2006, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a vehicle registration, the holder of a "law enforcement memorial" license plate shall, upon application, pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Pursuant to RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the law enforcement memorial special license plate. Upon the determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the law enforcement memorial account established under RCW 46.16.30906.
     (12)(a) Effective with vehicle registrations due or to become due on or after January 1, 2006, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon application and registration of a vehicle, the holder of a "Share the Road" license plate shall pay an initial fee of forty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed twelve dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Under RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "Share the Road" license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the "Share the Road" account established under section 4 of this act.
     (b) Effective with annual renewals due or to become due on or after January 1, 2007, in addition to all fees and taxes required to be paid upon renewal of a vehicle registration, the holder of a "Share the Road" license plate shall, upon application, pay a fee of thirty dollars. The department shall deduct an amount not to exceed two dollars of each fee collected under this subsection for administration and collection expenses incurred by it. The remaining proceeds must be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. Under RCW 46.16.755, the state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the motor vehicle account until the department determines that the state has been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "Share the Road" license plate. Upon determination by the department that the state has been reimbursed, the treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the "Share the Road" account established under section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 46.16 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The "Share the Road" account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. Upon the department's determination that the state had been reimbursed for the cost of implementing the "Share the Road" special license plate, all receipts, except as provided in RCW 46.16.313(12) (a) and (b), from "Share the Road" license plates must be deposited into the account. Only the director of the department of licensing or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
     (2) Funds in the account must be disbursed subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (a) Under the requirements set out in RCW 46.16.765, the department must contract with a qualified nonprofit organization to promote bicycle safety and awareness education in communities throughout Washington.
     (b) For the purpose of this section, a "qualified nonprofit organization" means a not-for-profit corporation incorporated and of tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code. The organization must promote bicycle safety and awareness education in communities throughout Washington.
     (c) The qualified nonprofit organization must meet all requirements set out in RCW 46.16.765.

Sec. 5   RCW 46.16.333 and 2002 c 264 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     In cooperation with the Washington state patrol and the department of licensing, the traffic safety commission shall create and design, and the department shall issue, Cooper Jones license plate emblems displaying a symbol of bicycle safety that may be used on motor vehicles required to display two motor vehicle license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department. These license plate emblems will fund the Cooper Jones act and provide funding for bicyclist and pedestrian safety education, enforcement, and encouragement.
     Any person may purchase Cooper Jones license plate emblems. The emblems are to be displayed on the vehicle license plates in the manner described by the department, existing vehicular licensing procedures, and current laws. The fee for Cooper Jones emblems shall be twenty-five dollars. All moneys collected shall first go to the department to be deposited into the motor vehicle fund until all expenses of designing and producing the emblems are recovered. Thereafter, the department shall deduct an amount not to exceed five dollars of each fee collected for Cooper Jones emblems for administration and collection expenses. The remaining proceeds shall be remitted to the custody of the state treasurer with a proper identifying detailed report. The state treasurer shall credit the proceeds to the ((bicycle and pedestrian safety account as established in RCW 43.59.150)) "Share the Road" account established under section 4 of this act.

Sec. 6   RCW 43.59.150 and 1999 c 372 s 9 and 1999 c 351 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (((1))) The Washington state traffic safety commission shall establish a program for improving bicycle and pedestrian safety, and shall cooperate with the stakeholders and independent representatives to form an advisory committee to develop programs and create public private partnerships which promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.
     (((2) The bicycle and pedestrian safety account is created in the state treasury to support bicycle and pedestrian education or safety programs.))