SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5301

                    As of February 3, 1998

Title:  An act relating to excessive charges for services because of the customer's gender.

Brief Description:  Prohibiting excessive charges for services because of the customer's gender.

Sponsors:  Senators Thibaudeau, Anderson, Heavey, Wojahn and Kohl.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Commerce & Labor:  2/18/97; 2/4/98.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Staff:  Traci Ratzliff (786-7452)

Background:  Current law does not require an individual who provides certain personal services such as hairdressing, barbering, manicuring, dry cleaning or tailoring, to post a sign listing services offered and prices of such services.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  An individual who directly or indirectly performs a retail personal service, such as hairdressing, barbering, manicuring, dry cleaning or tailoring is required to post a sign visible to all customers that includes the following information:  list of services offered; price of services offered; description of conditions or variation in services that alters the price charged for a service; and hourly rate of labor, if price is based upon such a rate.  If persons practicing within a single facility charge a different price for each service offered, each practitioner must post a sign with the required information.

A violation of this act is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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