AN ACT Relating to limiting rent increases after expiration of the governor's eviction moratorium; amending RCW 59.18.140; and declaring an emergency.

(1) The tenant shall conform to all reasonable obligations or restrictions, whether denominated by the landlord as rules, rental agreement, rent, or otherwise, concerning the use, occupation, and maintenance of his or her dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, and the property of which the dwelling unit is a part if such obligations and restrictions are not in violation of any of the terms of this chapter and are not otherwise contrary to law, and if such obligations and restrictions are brought to the attention of the tenant at the time of his or her initial occupancy of the dwelling unit and thus become part of the rental agreement.

(2) Except for termination of tenancy and an increase in the amount of rent, after ((thirty))30 days written notice to each affected tenant, a new rule of tenancy may become effective upon completion of the term of the rental agreement or sooner upon mutual consent.

(3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a landlord shall provide a minimum of ((sixty))60 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant, and any increase in the amount of rent may not become effective prior to the completion of the term of the rental agreement.

(b) If the rental agreement governs a subsidized tenancy where the amount of rent is based on the income of the tenant or circumstances specific to the subsidized household, a landlord shall provide a minimum of ((thirty))30 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant. An increase in the amount of rent may become effective upon completion of the term of the rental agreement or sooner upon mutual consent.

(c) A landlord may not increase any monthly rent or other charges for the first six months after expiration of the eviction moratorium. For the subsequent six months, a landlord may not increase the monthly rent more than three percentage points above the previous year's United States consumer price index for all urban consumers, housing component, published by the United States bureau of labor statistics in the periodical "Monthly Labor Review and Handbook of Labor Statistics" as established annually by the department of commerce. Any rent increase imposed during such time period must be based on the base monthly rent in effect as of March 1, 2020.

(4) For purposes of this section, "eviction moratorium" refers to the governor of the state of Washington's proclamation 20-19.5, proclaiming a moratorium on certain evictions for all counties throughout Washington state on December 31, 2020, and any subsequent orders extending or amending such proclamation until it expires or is terminated by the governor of the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.