H-671                _______________________________________________

                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 85

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Wang, Fisch and Crane

Read first time 1/18/85 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to competency of witnesses; creating a new section; and repealing RCW 5.60.030.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     It is the intent of the legislature to eliminate an exception to the general rule that every person is competent to be a witness.  RCW 5.60.030, commonly known as the "deadman's statute," has not been a necessary protection against false claims, but rather has been an obstruction to the thorough investigation of the truth, and has caused hardship and injustice by silencing honest litigants and preventing recovery of valid claims.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  Section 290, page 186, Laws of 1854, section 1, page 88, Laws of 1867, section 384, page 183, Laws of 1869, section 382, page 106, Laws of 1873, section 391, page 85, Laws of 1877, section 389, Code of 1881, section 1, chapter 84, Laws of 1927, section 3, chapter 80, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. and RCW 5.60.030 are each repealed.