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                                  HOUSE BILL 1272

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives R. Fisher, Betrozoff, Forner, Paris, Van Luven and Wineberry; by request of Utilities & Transportation Commission.

Read first time January 25, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.Changing the limits on liability of common carriers for damage or loss of baggage.

     AN ACT Relating to the limits on liability for loss or damage to baggage by common carriers; and amending RCW 81.29.050.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 81.29.050 and 1961 c 14 s 81.29.050 are each amended to read as follows:

     The liability of any common carrier subject to regulation by the commission for the loss of or damage to any baggage shall ((not exceed the sum of two hundred dollars for each trunk and its contents, fifty dollars for each valise, suitcase or traveling bag and its contents, or twenty-five dollars for each box, bundle or package and its contents unless a higher valuation is declared at the time of the delivery of such baggage to the carrier and assented thereto in writing by such carrier: PROVIDED, That in the case of the originating carrier the limitation of liability defined in this section shall only apply when the passenger or shipper shall have had constructive notice that the common law liability of such carrier has been so limited)) be set by the commission.  The commission will review the amounts periodically and adjust the rate accordingly.