SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5044

As Passed Senate, February 11, 2003

Title: An act relating to giving notice of the termination of a tenancy.

Brief Description: Giving notice of the termination of a tenancy.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Roach, Winsley, Kastama and Schmidt).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 1/15/03, 1/22/03 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/11/03, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5044 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Stevens, Vice Chair; Fairley, Horn, Kastama, McCaslin and Reardon.

Staff: Mac Nicholson (786-7445)

Background: The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act requires 20 days notice before a month-to-month tenancy is terminated. A tenancy for a specified time is terminated at the end of the specified time. The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act has similar termination notice requirements but allows tenants who are members of the armed forces to terminate rental agreements with less than the required notice if the tenant receives reassignment orders that do not allow such notice.

Summary of Bill: Residential tenants who are members of the armed services may terminate a month-to-month tenancy with less than 20 days notice if they receive reassignment orders that do not allow a 20-day notice. The termination provisions are applied to tenancies for a specified time. The tenant's spouse or dependant may terminate a tenancy. Members of the National Guard and armed forces reserves are included as tenants who can terminate leases. The tenancy can be terminated upon receipt of deployment orders or reassignment orders. In the termination of tenancies for a specified time, the tenant must give seven days notice to the landlord of the reassignment or deployment order. The Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act is amended to mirror the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For: Reassignment or deployment orders can happen on very short notice and service members and their spouses or dependents need the ability to terminate leases so they can comply with their orders.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Kenyon Luce, Luce Lombino & Riggio; Lawrence Rouse, JAG Corps, Fort Lewis; Donald Sherman, Naval Legal Service Office; John Woodring, Rental Holding Assoc.; Doug Maynard, Rental Holding Assoc.