SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 2450

        AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR, FEBRUARY 28, 1992

Brief Description:  Expanding official access to mobile home parks.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Winsley, Franklin, Mitchell and Paris)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Matson, Chairman; Bluechel, Moore, Murray, and Skratek.

Staff:  Dave Cheal (786‑7576)

Hearing Dates: February 28, 1992

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:

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.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Park tenants have been denied full participation in the political process by park owners who prohibit political meetings and canvassing.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Winsley, original prime sponsor (pro); Arnold Livingston (pro)