HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5529

                       As Passed House

                        April 9, 1997

Title:  An act relating to requiring a landlord to provide a written receipt if requested.

Brief Description:  Providing written receipts to tenants.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl, Horn, Heavey, Schow, Fairley, Winsley and Oke).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Law & Justice:  4/4/97 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  4/9/97, 96‑1.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Sheahan, Chairman; McDonald, Vice Chairman; Sterk, Vice Chairman; Costa, Ranking Minority Member; Constantine, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Carrell; Cody; Kenney; Lambert; Lantz; Radcliff; Sherstad and Skinner.

Staff:  Trudes Hutcheson (786-7384).

Background:  The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act establishes various duties of landlords and tenants.  When a tenant pays a security deposit, the landlord must give the tenant a written receipt for that deposit money.  The act does not require a landlord to give written receipts to a tenant for any other payments made by the tenant.

Summary of Bill:  Upon request of a tenant, the landlord must provide a written receipt for any payments made by the tenant.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will help tenants who don't have checking accounts and pay their rent in cash.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Kohl, prime sponsor.