FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1059

                         C 112 L 91

                     Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Revising the list of personal property exempt from enforcement of judgments.

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Appelwick, Padden, Ludwig and Orr).

House Committee on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  Certain property owned by a debtor is exempt by statute from the remedies creditors normally have in enforcing judgments.  Various kinds of personal property are exempt up to specified values.  It has been several years since many of these dollar values have been adjusted.

Summary:  General increases are made in the value of personal property that is exempt from judgment.  Changes include the following:

oThe maximum exemption for certain wearing apparel, consisting of furs and jewelry, is raised from $750 to $1,000.

oThe maximum exemption for private libraries is raised from $1,000 to $1,500.

oThe maximum exemption for household goods is raised from $1,500 to $2,700, and a separate exemption of unspecified value for three months' worth of provisions and fuel for "comfortable maintenance" is removed.

oThe maximum exemption for "other" personal property, excluding wages or salary, is raised from $500 to $1,000. An existing $100 subcategory of "other" property is expanded to two $100 subcategories, one for cash and one for bank accounts, stocks, and bonds.

oThe maximum exemption for motor vehicles is changed from $1,200 for one car only, to $2,500 in aggregate for up to two cars.

oThe maximum exemptions for farm equipment, professional equipment, and tools of a trade are each raised from $3,000 to $5,000.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  93   2

Senate 43   0

Effective:    July 28, 1991