H-2288.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1815

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By House Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Representatives Delvin, Morris and Padden)

Read first time 03/01/95.

Placing liability on parents of unemancipated minors who damage lodging or accommodation premises.

     AN ACT Relating to liability for cleanup and repair of damaged lodging or accommodation premises; adding a new section to chapter 19.48 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 19.48 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) An owner or employee of a hotel, motel, boarding house, or other lodging may require a person to present valid identification with proof of age or emancipation prior to renting the person a room or facility.

     (2) The parent or legal guardian having custody of an unemancipated minor who receives lodging or uses other facilities at a hotel, motel, boarding house, or other lodging, shall be liable as a penalty to the owner or renter for the costs of any cleanup or repair of damages to the lodging caused by the minor or the minor's guests not to exceed five hundred dollars, plus an additional penalty of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, plus all reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs expended by the owner or renter if the lodging:

     (a) Required the minor to produce valid identification with proof of age or emancipation prior to renting the room or facilities to the minor;

     (b) Required the minor's parent or legal guardian to take physical custody of the room or facility prior to renting the room or facility to the minor; or

     (c) Required the minor's parent or legal guardian to agree in writing to assume all liability for any property damage the minor or the minor's guest cause to the lodging.

     (3) Nothing in this section requires a hotel, motel, boarding house, or other lodging facility to rent a room or facilities to a minor or a minor's parent.

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