BILL REQ. #:  S-1133.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/06/13.   

     AN ACT Relating to including information on home energy efficiency in residential home inspection reports; amending RCW 18.280.030; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the state's consumers and real estate industry recognize the benefits of home energy efficiency. The legislature also finds that home inspections occur in a majority of residential real estate transactions, and that the state has recently adopted a comprehensive system of educating and licensing home inspectors. It is therefore the intent of the legislature to ensure that residential home inspections provide consumers with educational information about home energy efficiency and available energy efficiency programs and services.

Sec. 2   RCW 18.280.030 and 2008 c 119 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person licensed under this chapter is responsible for performing a visual and noninvasive inspection of the following readily accessible systems and components of a home and reporting on the general condition of those systems and components at the time of the inspection in his or her written report: The roof, foundation, exterior, heating system, air-conditioning system, structure, plumbing and electrical systems, and other aspects of the home as may be identified by the board. The inspection must include looking for certain fire and safety hazards as defined by the board. The standards of practice to be developed by the board will be used as the minimum standards for an inspection. The duties of the home inspector with regard to wood destroying organisms are provided in RCW 18.280.190.
     (2) The written home inspection report under this section must be accompanied by written materials, developed by the department of commerce, providing consumers with general educational information about (a) the systems and components of homes that affect energy efficiency, and (b) home energy efficiency programs, including rebate and incentive programs, offered by the federal government, the state, local governments, electric and natural gas utilities, and energy service contractors.