| Passed by the Senate March 12, 2007 YEAS 49 ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House April 9, 2007 YEAS 97 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5206 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/12/2007. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to tires with retractable studs; and amending RCW 46.04.272, 46.37.420, 46.37.4215, and 46.37.4216.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 46.04.272 and 1999 c 219 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) "Lightweight stud" means a stud intended for installation and
use in a vehicle tire. As used in this title, this means a stud that
is recommended by the manufacturer of the tire for the type and size of
the tire and that:
(((1))) (a) Weighs no more than 1.5 grams if the stud conforms to
Tire Stud Manufacturing Institute (TSMI) stud size 14 or less;
(((2))) (b) Weighs no more than 2.3 grams if the stud conforms to
TSMI stud size 15 or 16; or
(((3))) (c) Weighs no more than 3.0 grams if the stud conforms to
TSMI stud size 17 or larger.
(2) A lightweight stud may contain any materials necessary to
achieve the lighter weight.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to retractable
studs as described in RCW 46.37.420.
Sec. 2 RCW 46.37.420 and 1999 c 208 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) It is unlawful to operate a vehicle upon the public highways of
this state unless it is completely equipped with pneumatic rubber tires
except vehicles equipped with temporary-use spare tires that meet
federal standards that are installed and used in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
(2) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway may have on its
periphery any block, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance
of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of
the traction surface of the tire, except that it is permissible to use
farm machinery equipped with pneumatic tires or solid rubber tracks
having protuberances that will not injure the highway, and except also
that it is permissible to use tire chains or metal studs imbedded
within the tire of reasonable proportions and of a type conforming to
rules adopted by the state patrol, upon any vehicle when required for
safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a
vehicle to skid. It is unlawful to use metal studs imbedded within the
tire between April 1st and November 1st, except that a vehicle may be
equipped year-round with tires that have retractable studs if: (a) The
studs retract pneumatically or mechanically to below the wear bar of
the tire when not in use; and (b) the retractable studs are engaged
only between November 1st and April 1st. Retractable studs may be made
of metal or other material and are not subject to the lightweight stud
weight requirements under RCW 46.04.272. The state department of
transportation may, from time to time, determine additional periods in
which the use of tires with metal studs imbedded therein is lawful.
(3) The state department of transportation and local authorities in
their respective jurisdictions may issue special permits authorizing
the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having
movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of the
movable tracks or farm tractors or other farm machinery, the operation
of which upon a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this
section.
(4) Tires with metal studs imbedded therein may be used between
November 1st and April 1st upon school buses and fire department
vehicles, any law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.
Sec. 3 RCW 46.37.4215 and 1999 c 219 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
Beginning January 1, 2000, a person offering to sell to a tire
dealer conducting business in the state of Washington, a metal flange
or cleat intended for installation as a stud in a vehicle tire shall
certify that the studs are: (1) Lightweight studs as defined in RCW
46.04.272; or (2) retractable studs that are exempt from the
requirements of RCW 46.04.272. Certification must be accomplished by
clearly marking the boxes or containers used to ship and store studs
with the designation "lightweight." This section does not apply to
tires or studs in a wholesaler's existing inventory as of January 1,
2000.
Sec. 4 RCW 46.37.4216 and 1999 c 219 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
Beginning July 1, 2001, a person may not sell a studded tire or
sell a stud for installation in a tire unless the stud qualifies as a:
(1) Lightweight stud under RCW 46.04.272; or (2) retractable stud that
is exempt from the requirements of RCW 46.04.272.