(1) The Washington state patrol is responsible for enforcement of safety requirements for commercial motor vehicles including, but not limited to, safety audits and compliance reviews. Those motor carriers that have operations in this state are subject to the patrol's safety audits and compliance review programs. Compliance reviews may result in the initiation of an enforcement action, which may include monetary penalties.

     (2) Motor vehicles owned and operated by farmers in the transportation of their own farm, orchard, or dairy products, including livestock and plant or animal wastes, from point of production to market or disposal, or supplies or commodities to be used on the farm, orchard, or dairy, must have a department of transportation number, as defined in RCW 46.16.004, but are exempt from safety audits and compliance reviews.

     (3) All records and documents required of motor carriers with operations in this state must be available for review and inspection during normal business hours. Duly authorized agents of the state patrol conducting safety audits and compliance reviews may enter the motor carrier's place of business, or any location where records or equipment are located, at reasonable times and without advanced notice. Motor carriers who do not permit duly authorized agents to enter their place of business, or any location where records or equipment are located, for safety audits and compliance reviews are subject to enforcement action, including a monetary penalty.

     (4)(a) All motor carriers with a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in RCW 46.16.004, that operate in this state must apply for a department of transportation number, as defined in RCW 46.16.004, by January 1, 2008.

     (b) All motor carriers operating in this state who (i) have not applied under (a) of this subsection for a department of transportation number, as defined in RCW 46.16.004, and (ii) have a commercial motor vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,258 kilograms (16,001 pounds) or more, must apply for a department of transportation number by January 1, 2011.

     (c) The state patrol may deny an application if the motor carrier does not meet the requirements and standards under this chapter. The state patrol shall not issue a department of transportation number to a motor carrier who at the time of application has been placed out of service by the federal motor carrier safety administration. Commercial motor vehicles must be marked as prescribed by the state patrol. Those motor carriers with a current United States department of transportation number are exempt from applying for a department of transportation number.

     (d) The state patrol may (i) place a motor carrier out of service or (ii) refuse to issue or recognize as valid a department of transportation number to a motor carrier who: (A) Formerly held a department of transportation number that was placed out of service for cause, and where cause has not been removed; (B) is a subterfuge for the real party in interest whose department of transportation number was placed out of service for cause, and where cause has not been removed; (C) as an individual licensee, or officer, director, owner, or managing employee of a nonindividual licensee, had a department of transportation number and was placed out of service for cause, and where cause has not been removed; or (D) has an unsatisfied debt to the state assessed under this chapter.

     (e) Upon a finding by the chief of the state patrol or the chief's designee that a motor carrier is an imminent hazard or danger to the public health, safety, or welfare, the state patrol shall notify the department, and the department shall revoke the registrations for all commercial motor vehicles that are owned by the motor carrier subject to RCW 46.32.080. In determining whether a motor carrier is an imminent hazard or danger to the public health, safety, or welfare, the chief or the chief's designee shall consider safety factors.

[2007 c 419 § 10; 1995 c 272 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2007 c 419 § 10: "Section 10 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 11, 2007]." [2007 c 419 § 19.]

     Findings -- Short title -- Application -- 2007 c 419: See notes following RCW 46.16.004.

     Transfer of powers, duties, and functions: "(1) All powers, duties, and functions of the utilities and transportation commission pertaining to safety inspections of commercial vehicles, including but not limited to terminal safety audits, except for those carriers subject to the economic regulation of the commission, are transferred to the Washington state patrol.

     (2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the utilities and transportation commission pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the Washington state patrol. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the utilities and transportation commission in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the Washington state patrol. All funds, credits, or other assets held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the Washington state patrol.

     (b) Any appropriations made to the utilities and transportation commission for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on January 1, 1996, be transferred and credited to the Washington state patrol.

     (c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.

     (3) All employees of the utilities and transportation commission engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred are transferred to the jurisdiction of the Washington state patrol. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the Washington state patrol to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service. These employees will only be transferred upon successful completion of the Washington state patrol background investigation.

     (4) All rules and all pending business before the utilities and transportation commission pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the Washington state patrol. All existing contracts and obligations remain in full force and shall be performed by the Washington state patrol.

     (5) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the utilities and transportation commission does not affect the validity of any act performed before January 1, 1996.

     (6) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.

     (7) Nothing contained in this section alters an existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of an existing collective bargaining agreement until the agreement has expired or until the bargaining unit has been modified by action of the personnel board as provided by law." [1995 c 272 § 4.]

     Effective dates -- 1995 c 272: See note following RCW 46.32.090.