Two bills sponsored by Rep. Melanie Stambaugh signed into law
Two bills sponsored by state Rep. Melanie Stambaugh, R-Puyallup, have been signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.
House Bill 1742 will provide a legal way for auto repair shops to service vehicles with expired tabs. Under current law, mechanics could be cited by law enforcement for test driving such vehicles.
Stambaugh's bill, which was brought to her by a constituent who owns an auto repair shop in Puyallup, will give shop owners the option of registering with the Department of Licensing to purchase transporter license plates. These specialty plates would allow mechanics to legally operate vehicles with expired tabs on public roads.
“Any time we can reduce unfair burdens on employers and employees, that's a good thing,” said Stambaugh. “This is a common-sense measure that will ensure our auto mechanics can do their jobs efficiently and effectively without fear of being cited by law enforcement. I'm grateful we were able to get it over the finish line this year.”
House Bill 1742 was approved unanimously in both chambers before being sent to the governor.
The other bill signed into law was House Bill 2087, which will expand the definition of “emergency zones” to include work zones, thereby offering the same protections to highway construction workers that are provided to police officers and tow truck operators.
Stambaugh's bill will require drivers to yield the right-of-way to authorized construction vehicles in designated construction or maintenance areas. According to data from the Washington State Department of Transportation, there were 161 fatal or serious injury collisions in work zones in Washington state from 2013 to 2017.
Bills go into effect 90 days after the adjournment of the regular legislative session. The 2018 legislative session adjourned March 8.