BILL REQ. #: S-0938.1

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SENATE BILL 5524
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State of Washington

58th Legislature

2003 Regular Session

By Senators Benton, Kline, Prentice, Regala, Roach, Keiser, Esser, Zarelli, Winsley, Reardon, Rasmussen, Kohl-Welles, Schmidt and Shin

Read first time 01/28/2003. Referred to Committee on Financial Services, Insurance & Housing.

AN ACT Relating to protection of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking in the rental of housing; adding new sections to chapter 59.18 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 59.18.356; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds and declares that:
     (1) Domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are widespread societal problems that have devastating effects for individual victims, their children, and their communities. Victims of violence may be forced to remain in unsafe situations because they are bound by residential lease agreements. The legislature finds that the inability of victims to terminate their rental agreements hinders or prevents victims from being able to safely flee domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The legislature further finds that victims of these crimes who do not have access to safe housing are more likely to remain in or return to abusive or dangerous situations. Also, the legislature finds that victims of these crimes are further victimized when they are unable to obtain or retain rental housing due to their history as a victim of these crimes. The legislature further finds that evidence that a prospective tenant has been a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking is not relevant to the decision whether to rent to that prospective tenant.
     (2) By this act, the legislature intends to increase safety for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking by removing barriers to safety and offering protection against discrimination.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this section and sections 3 through 5 of this act unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Domestic violence" has the same meaning as set forth in RCW 26.50.010.
     (2) "Sexual assault" has the same meaning as set forth in RCW 70.125.030.
     (3) "Stalking" has the same meaning as set forth in RCW 9A.46.110.
     (4) "Qualified third party" means a law enforcement officer, person subject to the provisions of chapter 18.120 RCW, an employee of a court of the state, member of the clergy, attorney, social worker, licensed mental health professional or other licensed counselor, or advocate working at an agency that assists victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
     (5) "Household member" means a child or adult residing with the tenant other than the perpetrator of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault.
     (6) "Tenant screening service provider" means any nongovernmental agency that provides, for a fee, background information on prospective tenants to landlords.
     (7) "Credit reporting agency" has the same meaning as set forth in RCW 19.182.010(5).

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) If a tenant notifies the landlord in writing that he or she or a household member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and either (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection applies, then subsection (2) of this section applies:
     (i) The tenant or the household member has a valid order for protection under one or more of the following: Chapters 26.50 or 26.26 RCW or RCW 9A.46.040, 9A.46.050, 10.14.080, 10.99.040 (2) or (3), or 26.09.050; or
     (ii) The tenant or the household member has reported the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to a qualified third party acting in his or her official capacity.
     (b) When a copy of the order for protection, police report, or verification of a report to a qualified third party, as required under (a) of this subsection, is made available to the landlord, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement and quit the premises without further obligation under the rental agreement or under chapter 59.12 RCW. However, the request to terminate the rental agreement must occur within ninety days of a reported act, event, or circumstance that gave rise to the protective order or report to a qualified third party. Verification of the report to a qualified third party may consist of a document signed and dated by the third party stating that the tenant notified him or her of an act or acts of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Verification may also be accomplished by completion of a form provided by the qualified third party. The form must be in substantially the following form:

. . . . . . . . . . . . [Name of organization, agency, clinic, professional service provider]
I and/or my . . . . . . (household member) am/is a victim of
	. . . domestic violence as defined by RCW 26.50.010.
	. . . sexual assault as defined by RCW 70.125.030.
	. . . stalking as defined by RCW 9A.46.110.
The incident(s) that I rely on in support of this declaration occurred on the following date(s): . . . . . . . . . ..
I state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of Washington that the foregoing is true and correct. Dated at . . . . . . . . . . (city) . ., Washington, this . . . day of . . . ., 20. ..
		. . . . . . . . . . . . Signature of Tenant
I verify that I have provided to the person whose signature appears above the statutes cited in RCW 59.18.--- (section 3 of this act) and that the individual informed me of his or her status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking on this . . . day of . . . ., 20. ..
		. . . . . . . . . . . . Signature of authorized officer/employee of (Organization, agency, clinic, professional service provider)

(2) A tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this section is discharged from the payment of rent for any period following the last day of the month of the quitting date. The tenant shall remain liable for the rent for the month in which he or she terminated the rental agreement unless the termination is in accordance with RCW 59.18.200(1). Notwithstanding lease provisions that allow for forfeiture of a deposit for early termination, a tenant who terminates under this section is entitled to the return of the full deposit, subject to RCW 59.18.020 and 59.18.280. Other tenants who are parties to the rental agreement, except household members who are the victims of sexual assault, stalking, or domestic violence, are not released from their obligations under the rental agreement or other obligations under this chapter.
(3) The provision of verification of a report under subsection (1)(b) of this section does not waive the confidential or privileged nature of the communication between a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking with a qualified third party pursuant to RCW 5.60.060, 70.123.075, or 70.125.065. No record or evidence obtained from such disclosure may be used in any civil, administrative, or criminal proceeding against the victim unless a written waiver of applicable evidentiary privilege is obtained, except that the verification itself, and no other privileged information, under subsection (1)(b) of this section may be used in civil proceedings brought under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A landlord may not terminate a tenancy, fail to renew a tenancy, or refuse to enter into a rental agreement based on the tenant's or applicant's or a household member's status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or based on the tenant or applicant having terminated a rental agreement under section 2 of this act.
     (2) A landlord who refuses to enter into a rental agreement in violation of this section may be liable to the tenant or applicant in a civil action for damages sustained by the tenant or applicant. The prevailing party may also recover court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
     (3) It is a defense to an unlawful detainer action under chapter 59.12 RCW that the action to remove the tenant and recover possession of the premises is in violation of subsection (1) of this section.
     (4) This section does not prohibit adverse housing decisions based upon other lawful factors within the landlord's knowledge.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A tenant screening service provider or credit reporting agency shall not include information about a prospective tenant or household member in a written or oral report to a landlord pertaining to the fact that the subject of the report is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and/or protected by a court order, including but not limited to: Orders entered under chapters 26.50, 9A.46, 10.14, 10.99, 26.09, and 26.26 RCW.
     (2) A tenant screening service provider or credit reporting agency who violates this section may be liable in a civil action for damages sustained by the subject of the report. The prevailing party may recover court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
     (3) The legislature finds that the practices covered by this section are matters vitally affecting the public interest for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW. A violation of this section is not reasonable in relation to the development and preservation of business and is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce and an unfair method of competition for the purpose of applying the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A tenant who has obtained a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction granting him or her possession of a dwelling unit to the exclusion of one or more cotenants may request that a lock be replaced or configured for a new key at the tenant's expense. The landlord shall, if provided a copy of the order, comply with the request and shall not provide copies of the new keys to the tenant restrained or excluded by the court's order. This section does not release a cotenant, other than a household member who is the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, from liability or obligations under the rental agreement.
     (2) A landlord who replaces a lock or configures for a new key of a residential housing unit in accordance with subsection (1) of this section shall be held harmless from liability for any damages that result directly from the lock change.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 RCW 59.18.356 (Threatening behavior--Violation of order for protection -- Termination of agreement -- Financial obligations) and 1992 c 38 s 7 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.

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