Z-0326.1
HOUSE BILL 1518
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session
By Representatives Barkis, Leavitt, Schmidt, Eslick, Volz, and
Graham; by request of Department of Transportation
Read first time 01/23/23. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
1 AN ACT Relating to parking at rest areas; and amending RCW
2 47.38.020 and 46.55.010.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4 Sec. 1. RCW 47.38.020 and 2019 c 436 s 1 are each amended to
5 read as follows:
6 (1) Except where specifically authorized by the department, it is
7 unlawful for any person or persons to stop, stand, or park any
8 vehicle, including but not limited to trailers, campers, and
9 motorcycles, for more than eight hours within a ((twenty-four)) 24
10 hour period, or for any person or persons to camp or to maintain a
11 camp, tent, or other sleeping accommodation or facility, in any
12 safety rest area within the limits of the right-of-way of interstate
13 highways or other state highways or in other areas of state or
14 interstate highways as designated in RCW 47.12.250. The department
15 may also designate zones within a safety rest area with shorter
16 parking time limits for the purposes of maximum efficiency and
17 safety. Commercial vehicles may park up to an hour beyond federally
18 mandated rest periods.
19 (2) Except where specifically authorized by the department, it is
20 unlawful for any person or persons to stop, stand, or park any
21 disabled vehicle, including but not limited to trailers, campers, and
p. 1 HB 1518
 1 motorcycles, in any safety rest area for more than ((forty-eight)) 48
2 hours((, after which time the vehicle is subject to mandatory
3 impoundment under RCW 46.55.080(1))).
4 (3) Any vehicle that violates the time restrictions in
5 subsections (1) and (2) of this section is subject to impoundment
6 under RCW 46.55.080(1).
7 (4) The department shall post appropriate signage ((consistent
8 with RCW 46.55.070(1))) at all safety rest areas regarding the
9 parking time limits in this section. The signage shall be posted near
10 each entrance and on the property in a clearly conspicuous and
11 visible location to all who park on such property, and shall clearly
12 indicate:
13 (a) When a vehicle may be impounded as an unauthorized vehicle;
14 and
15 (b) A phone number for contacting the law enforcement agency or
16 the department to locate the impounded vehicle.
17 (((4))) (5) The Washington state patrol shall enforce this
18 section consistent with RCW 46.55.080(1), and to the maximum extent
19 practicable.
20 Sec. 2. RCW 46.55.010 and 2022 c 186 s 708 are each amended to
21 read as follows:
22 The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this
23 chapter:
24 (1) "Abandoned vehicle" means a vehicle that a registered tow
25 truck operator has impounded and held in the operator's possession
26 for 120 consecutive hours.
27 (2) "Immobilize" means the use of a locking wheel boot that, when
28 attached to the wheel of a vehicle, prevents the vehicle from moving
29 without damage to the tire to which the locking wheel boot is
30 attached.
31 (3) "Abandoned vehicle report" means the document prescribed by
32 the state that the towing operator forwards to the department after a
33 vehicle has become abandoned.
34 (4) "Impound" means to take and hold a vehicle in legal custody.
35 There are two types of impounds—public and private.
36 (a) "Public impound" means that the vehicle has been impounded at
37 the direction of a law enforcement officer or by a public official
38 having jurisdiction over the public property upon which the vehicle
39 was located.
p. 2 HB 1518
 1 (b) "Private impound" means that the vehicle has been impounded
2 at the direction of a person having control or possession of the
3 private property upon which the vehicle was located.
4 (5) "Junk vehicle" means a vehicle certified under RCW 46.55.230
5 as meeting at least three of the following requirements:
6 (a) Is three years old or older;
7 (b) Is extensively damaged, such damage including but not limited
8 to any of the following: A broken window or windshield, or missing
9 wheels, tires, motor, or transmission;
10 (c) Is apparently inoperable;
11 (d) Has an approximate fair market value equal only to the
12 approximate value of the scrap in it.
13 (6) "Master log" means the document or an electronic facsimile
14 prescribed by the department and the Washington state patrol in which
15 an operator records transactions involving impounded vehicles.
16 (7) "Registered tow truck operator" or "operator" means any
17 person who engages in the impounding, transporting, or storage of
18 unauthorized vehicles or the disposal of abandoned vehicles.
19 (8) "Residential property" means property that has no more than
20 four living units located on it.
21 (9) "Suspended license impound" means an impound ordered under
22 RCW 46.55.113 because the operator was arrested for a violation of
23 RCW 46.20.342 or 46.20.345.
24 (10) "Tow truck" means a motor vehicle that is equipped for and
25 used in the business of towing vehicles with equipment as approved by
26 the state patrol.
27 (11) "Tow truck number" means the number issued by the department
28 to tow trucks used by a registered tow truck operator in the state of
29 Washington.
30 (12) "Tow truck permit" means the permit issued annually by the
31 department that has the classification of service the tow truck may
32 provide stamped upon it.
33 (13) "Tow truck service" means the transporting upon the public
34 streets and highways of this state of vehicles, together with
35 personal effects and cargo, by a tow truck of a registered operator.
36 (14) "Unauthorized vehicle" means a vehicle that is subject to
37 impoundment after being left unattended in one of the following
38 public or private locations for the indicated period of time:
39 Subject to removal after:
p. 3 HB 1518
1 (a) Public locations:
2 (i) Constituting an accident or a traffic hazard as
3 defined in RCW 46.55.113 . . . . . . . Immediately
4 (ii) On a highway and tagged as described in RCW
5 46.55.085 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 hours
6 (iii) In a publicly owned or controlled parking
7 facility, properly posted under RCW
8 46.55.070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediately
9 (iv) During the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, within the
10 right-of-way used by a regional transit authority
11 for high capacity transportation where the vehicle
12 constitutes an obstruction to the operation of high
13 capacity transportation vehicles or
14 jeopardizes public safety. . . . . . . . . Immediately
15 (v) In a safety rest area, properly posted under RCW
16 47.38.020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediately
17 (b) Private locations:
18 (i) On residential property . . . . . . . . . . Immediately
19 (ii) On private, nonresidential property,
20 properly posted under RCW
21 46.55.070 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediately
22 (iii) On private, nonresidential property,
23 not posted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 hours
--- END ---
p. 4 HB 1518


Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 47.38.020, 46.55.010