HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2070
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by House Committee On:
Transportation
Title: An act relating to the color of stop lamps on vehicles.
Brief Description: Clarifying the required color of certain lamps on vehicles.
Sponsors: Representatives Lovick, Dent, Griffey, Leavitt and Sells; by request of Washington State Patrol.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Transportation: 2/28/19 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 30 members: Representatives Fey, Chair; Slatter, 2nd Vice Chair; Valdez, 2nd Vice Chair; Wylie, 1st Vice Chair; Barkis, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Young, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boehnke, Chambers, Chapman, Dent, Doglio, Dufault, Entenman, Eslick, Goehner, Gregerson, Irwin, Kloba, Lovick, McCaslin, Mead, Orcutt, Ortiz-Self, Pellicciotti, Ramos, Riccelli, Shea, Shewmake and Van Werven.
Staff: Beth Redfield (786-7140).
Background:
Current state vehicle lighting laws require lighting devices on the rear of any vehicle to display a red color, with exceptions for stop lamps or other signal devices, which may be red, amber, or yellow. Specific requirements allow stop lamps on the rear of a vehicle to display a red or amber light, or any shade of color between red and amber.
Federal motor carrier safety laws allow rear signal devices on commercial motor vehicles to display either a red or amber color and require rear stop lamps to display a red color.
Washington receives over $6 million annually from the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to implement motor carrier safety programs.
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Summary of Bill:
Rear vehicle signal devices may display a red or amber light and rear vehicle stop lamps must display a red light.
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Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) This item came out of a review of federal rules and is a federal compliance issue. The federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has allowed Washington an extension while the state works to come into compliance. If the state remains out of compliance, $6 million of federal funds that support trucking safety initiatives are at risk.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Lovick, prime sponsor; Monica Alexander, Washington State Patrol; and Jeff Devere, Washington Trucking Associations.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.