HOUSE BILL REPORT

                     SHB 2450

                              As Passed House

                             February 13, 1992

Title:  An act relating to mobile home parks.

Brief Description:  Expanding official access to mobile home parks.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Winsley, Franklin, Mitchell and Paris).

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Housing, January 31, 1992, DPS;

Passed House, February 13, 1992, 86-5.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HOUSING

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Nelson, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Mitchell, Ranking Minority Member; Winsley, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ballard; Leonard; Ogden; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786-7092).

Background:  The Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act prohibits landlords from restricting or denying park tenants from meeting to discuss mobile home living and affairs.  Any such meetings by the tenants must be conducted at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.  Landlords cannot penalize a tenant for participating in such meetings.

The Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act does not specifically prohibit landlords from preventing park tenants from meeting with, or receiving information from, public officials or candidates for public office in their individual mobile homes.  It also does not specifically prohibit landlords from preventing park tenants from holding political forums or caucuses in the mobile home park.

Some landlords do not allow public officials or candidates for public office to meet with park tenants in their individual mobile homes.  Some landlords do not allow park tenants to conduct political forums in the mobile home park.

Summary of Bill:  The landlord of a mobile home park may not prohibit any public official or candidate for public office from meeting with or distributing information to tenants in their individual mobile homes.  A prohibition against solicitation in a mobile home park does not apply to public officials or candidates for public office meeting with individual park tenants.  The landlord of a mobile home park cannot prohibit political forums, speeches by public officials or candidates for public office, or political caucuses from being held in the mobile home park community or recreation halls if they are open for the use of the tenants.  Any meetings or forums must be held at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.  The landlord of a mobile home park cannot penalize any tenant for participating in meetings with or receiving information from public officials or candidates for public office.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Senior citizens have trouble getting out at night.  This bill allows them to participate more in the political process.  County assessors and other public officials often go to mobile home parks to explain senior citizen tax exemptions.  This bill will help ensure they have access to the parks.

Testimony Against:  Political forums could increase the number of people coming into the park.  These people could cause damage and increase insurance rates.

Witnesses:  Arnold Livingston, Senior Lobby (supports); and Morton Clark, Mobile Home Park Owners Association (opposes).