AN ACT Relating to notice sent by and certain release of information affecting registered tow truck operators; and amending RCW 46.55.110 and 46.52.130.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 46.55.110 and 2002 c 279 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) When an unauthorized vehicle is impounded, the impounding towing operator shall notify the legal and registered owners of the impoundment of the unauthorized vehicle and the owners of any other items of personal property registered or titled with the department. The notification shall be sent by first-class mail within twenty-four hours after the impoundment to the last known registered and legal owners of the vehicle, and the owners of any other items of personal property registered or titled with the department, as provided by the law enforcement agency, and shall inform the owners of the identity of the person or agency authorizing the impound. The notification shall include the name of the impounding tow firm, its address, and telephone number. The notice shall also include the location, time of the impound, and by whose authority the vehicle was impounded. The notice shall also include the written notice of the right of redemption and opportunity for a hearing to contest the validity of the impoundment pursuant to RCW 46.55.120.

(2) In addition, if a suspended license impound has been ordered, the notice must state the length of the impound, the requirement of the posting of a security deposit to ensure payment of the costs of removal, towing, and storage, notification that if the security deposit is not posted the vehicle will immediately be processed and sold at auction as an abandoned vehicle, and the requirements set out in RCW 46.55.120(1)(((b))) (c) regarding the payment of the costs of removal, towing, and storage as well as providing proof of satisfaction of any penalties, fines, or forfeitures before redemption. The notice must also state that the registered owner is ineligible to purchase the vehicle at the abandoned vehicle auction, if held.

(3) In the case of an abandoned vehicle, or other item of personal property registered or titled with the department, within twenty-four hours after receiving information on the legal and registered owners from the department through the abandoned vehicle report, the tow truck operator shall send by ((certified)) first-class mail((, with return receipt requested,)) a notice of custody and sale to the legal and registered owners and of the penalties for the traffic infraction littering—abandoned vehicle.

(4) If the date on which a notice required by subsection (3) of this section is to be mailed falls upon a Saturday, Sunday, or a postal holiday, the notice may be mailed on the next day that is neither a Saturday, Sunday, nor a postal holiday.

(5) No notices need be sent to the legal or registered owners of an impounded vehicle or other item of personal property registered or titled with the department, if the vehicle or personal property has been redeemed.

Sec. 2.  RCW 46.52.130 and 2015 2nd sp.s. c 3 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

Upon a proper request, the department may furnish an abstract of a person's driving record as permitted under this section.

(1) Contents of abstract of driving record. An abstract of a person's driving record, whenever possible, must include:

(a) An enumeration of motor vehicle accidents in which the person was driving, including:

(i) The total number of vehicles involved;

(ii) Whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving;

(iii) Whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the accident; and

(iv) Whether the accident resulted in a fatality;

(b) Any reported convictions, forfeitures of bail, or findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of any motor vehicle law;

(c) The status of the person's driving privilege in this state; and

(d) Any reports of failure to appear in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served upon the named individual by an arresting officer.

(2) Release of abstract of driving record. An abstract of a person's driving record may be furnished to the following persons or entities:

(a) Named individuals. (i) An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to the individual named in the abstract.

(ii) Nothing in this section prevents a court from providing a copy of the driver's abstract to the individual named in the abstract or that named individual's attorney, provided that the named individual has a pending or open infraction or criminal case in that court. A pending case includes criminal cases that have not reached a disposition by plea, stipulation, trial, or amended charge. An open infraction or criminal case includes cases on probation, payment agreement or subject to, or in collections. Courts may charge a reasonable fee for the production and copying of the abstract for the individual.

(b) Employers or prospective employers. (i)(A) An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to an employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of an employer or prospective employer of the named individual for purposes related to driving by the individual as a condition of employment or otherwise at the direction of the employer.

(B) Release of an abstract of the driving record of an employee or prospective employee requires a statement signed by: (I) The employee or prospective employee that authorizes the release of the record; and (II) the employer attesting that the information is necessary for employment purposes related to driving by the individual as a condition of employment or otherwise at the direction of the employer. If the employer or prospective employer authorizes an agent to obtain this information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement. The statement must also note that any information contained in the abstract related to an adjudication that is subject to a court order sealing the juvenile record of an employee or prospective employee may not be used by the employer or prospective employer, or an agent authorized to obtain this information on their behalf, unless required by federal regulation or law. The employer or prospective employer must afford the employee or prospective employee an opportunity to demonstrate that an adjudication contained in the abstract is subject to a court order sealing the juvenile record.

(C) Upon request of the person named in the abstract provided under this subsection, and upon that same person furnishing copies of court records ruling that the person was not at fault in a motor vehicle accident, the department must indicate on any abstract provided under this subsection that the person was not at fault in the motor vehicle accident.

(D) No employer or prospective employer, nor any agent of an employer or prospective employer, may use information contained in the abstract related to an adjudication that is subject to a court order sealing the juvenile record of an employee or prospective employee for any purpose unless required by federal regulation or law. The employee or prospective employee must furnish a copy of the court order sealing the juvenile record to the employer or prospective employer, or the agent of the employer or prospective employer, as may be required to ensure the application of this subsection.

(ii) In addition to the methods described in (b)(i) of this subsection, the director may enter into a contractual agreement with an employer or its agent for the purpose of reviewing the driving records of existing employees for changes to the record during specified periods of time. The department shall establish a fee for this service, which must be deposited in the highway safety fund. The fee for this service must be set at a level that will not result in a net revenue loss to the state. Any information provided under this subsection must be treated in the same manner and is subject to the same restrictions as driving record abstracts.

(c) Volunteer organizations. (i) An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to a volunteer organization or an agent for a volunteer organization for which the named individual has submitted an application for a position that would require driving by the individual at the direction of the volunteer organization.

(ii) Release of an abstract of the driving record of a prospective volunteer requires a statement signed by: (A) The prospective volunteer that authorizes the release of the record; and (B) the volunteer organization attesting that the information is necessary for purposes related to driving by the individual at the direction of the volunteer organization. If the volunteer organization authorizes an agent to obtain this information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement.

(d) Transit authorities. An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to an employee or agent of a transit authority checking prospective volunteer vanpool drivers for insurance and risk management needs.

(e) Insurance carriers. (i) An abstract of the driving record maintained by the department covering the period of not more than the last three years may be furnished to an insurance company or its agent:

(A) That has motor vehicle or life insurance in effect covering the named individual;

(B) To which the named individual has applied; or

(C) That has insurance in effect covering the employer or a prospective employer of the named individual.

(ii) The abstract provided to the insurance company must:

(A) Not contain any information related to actions committed by law enforcement officers or firefighters, as both terms are defined in RCW 41.26.030, or by Washington state patrol officers, while driving official vehicles in the performance of their occupational duty, or by registered tow truck operators as defined in RCW 46.55.010 in the performance of their occupational duties. This does not apply to any situation where the vehicle was used in the commission of a misdemeanor or felony;

(B) Include convictions under RCW 46.61.5249 and 46.61.525, except that the abstract must report the convictions only as negligent driving without reference to whether they are for first or second degree negligent driving; and

(C) Exclude any deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.060, except that if a person is removed from a deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.090, the abstract must show the deferred prosecution as well as the removal.

(iii) Any policy of insurance may not be canceled, nonrenewed, denied, or have the rate increased on the basis of information regarding an accident included in the abstract of a driving record, unless the policyholder was determined to be at fault.

(iv) Any insurance company or its agent, for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of commercial motor vehicles, may not use any information contained in the abstract relative to any person's operation of motor vehicles while not engaged in such employment. Any insurance company or its agent, for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of noncommercial motor vehicles, may not use any information contained in the abstract relative to any person's operation of commercial motor vehicles.

(v) The director may enter into a contractual agreement with an insurance company or its agent for the limited purpose of reviewing the driving records of existing policyholders for changes to the record during specified periods of time. The department shall establish a fee for this service, which must be deposited in the highway safety fund. The fee for this service must be set at a level that will not result in a net revenue loss to the state. Any information provided under this subsection must be treated in the same manner and is subject to the same restrictions as driving record abstracts.

(f) Alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies. An abstract of the driving record maintained by the department covering the period of not more than the last five years may be furnished to an alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency approved by the department of social and health services to which the named individual has applied or been assigned for evaluation or treatment, for purposes of assisting employees in making a determination as to what level of treatment, if any, is appropriate, except that the abstract must:

(i) Also include records of alcohol-related offenses, as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2), covering a period of not more than the last ten years; and

(ii) Indicate whether an alcohol-related offense was originally charged as a violation of either RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504.

(g) Attorneys—City attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys, and named individual's attorney of record. An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department, including whether a recorded violation is an alcohol-related offense, as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2), that was originally charged as a violation of either RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, may be furnished to city attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys, or the named individual's attorney of record. City attorneys, county prosecuting attorneys, or the named individual's attorney of record may provide the driving record to alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies approved by the department of social and health services to which the named individual has applied or been assigned for evaluation or treatment.

(h) State colleges, universities, or agencies, or units of local government. An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to (i) state colleges, universities, or agencies for employment and risk management purposes or (ii) units of local government authorized to self-insure under RCW 48.62.031 for employment and risk management purposes.

(i) Superintendent of public instruction. An abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department may be furnished to the superintendent of public instruction for review of public school bus driver records. The superintendent or superintendent's designee may discuss information on the driving record with an authorized representative of the employing school district for employment and risk management purposes.

(3) Release to third parties prohibited. Any person or entity receiving an abstract of a person's driving record under subsection (2)(b) through (i) of this section shall use the abstract exclusively for his, her, or its own purposes or as otherwise expressly permitted under this section, and shall not divulge any information contained in the abstract to a third party.

(4) Fee. The director shall collect a thirteen dollar fee for each abstract of a person's driving record furnished by the department. Fifty percent of the fee must be deposited in the highway safety fund, and fifty percent of the fee must be deposited according to RCW 46.68.038.

(5) Violation. (a) Any negligent violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor.

(b) Any intentional violation of this section is a class C felony.

(6) Effective July 1, 2019, the contents of a driving abstract pursuant to this section shall not include any information related to sealed juvenile records unless that information is required by federal law or regulation.

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