HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1041

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to manufactured housing dealers.

Brief Description:  Authorizing a trade association representing manufactured housing dealers to use a manufactured home as an office.

Sponsors:  Representatives Quall, Schoesler, Robertson and Sheldon.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Commerce & Labor:  1/23/95, 2/1/95 [DP].

Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/17/95, 93-0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Lisk, Chair; Hargrove, Vice Chair; Thompson, Vice Chair; Romero, Ranking Minority Member; Conway, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cairnes; Cody; Cole; Fuhrman; Goldsmith and Horn.

Staff:  Pam Madson (786-7166).

Background:  Vehicle dealers who buy and sell vehicles are required to have an established place of business.  This "established place of business" must be a permanent commercial structure.

Manufactured home dealers are included as vehicle dealers, and must comply with the requirement to provide a permanent commercial structure as their established place of business.  They are expressly authorized to use a mobile home as their business office if the structure is connected to utilities and is set up in accordance with state law.

There is no express authority for an association that represents manufactured home dealers to use a manufactured home as a business office.

Summary of Bill:  A state-wide trade association representing manufactured home dealers is expressly authorized to use a manufactured home as a place of business if they comply with all other applicable building code, zoning and other land-use regulatory ordinances.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  A bill identical to this one passed the house last year with unanimous support.  This bill allows a trade association representing dealers of manufactured housing to use a manufactured home as an office and would help promote the industry.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Ron Clarke, Washington Manufactured Housing Association (pro); and Theresa Bosler, Manufactured Housing Communities of Washington (pro).