S-1812.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5559

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Nelson, Madsen, Matson, Thorsness and Rasmussen).

Read first time March 1, 1991.Declaring landlord-tenant duties as being state-wide.

     AN ACT Relating to residential landlord-tenant duties; and adding a new section to chapter 59.18 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:

     The state of Washington hereby fully occupies and preempts the entire field of landlord-tenant regulation within the boundaries of the state.  Local laws that are inconsistent with, more restrictive than, or exceed the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of the city, town, county, or other municipality.

     Affirmative defenses to an unlawful detainer action, which change the duties of a landlord or tenant that are inconsistent with, more restrictive than, or exceed the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of the city, town, county, or other municipality.