READ FIRST TIME 02/28/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to timeshares; and adding a new section to chapter 64.36 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 64.36 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An effective registration pursuant to this chapter is required for any party to offer to sell a timeshare interest. A promoter who offers to sell or sells revocable timeshare interests in incomplete projects or facilities is limited by and must comply with all of the requirements of RCW 64.36.025. If a promoter seeks to enter into irrevocable purchase agreements with purchasers for timeshare interests in incomplete projects or facilities, the promoter must meet the requirements in this section in addition to RCW 64.36.020 and the following limitations and conditions apply:
     (a) The promoter is limited to offering or selling only fee simple deeded timeshare interests;
     (b) Construction on the project must have begun by the time the irrevocable purchase agreement is signed and the purchaser must have the right to occupy the unit and use all contracted for amenities no later than within two years of the date that the irrevocable purchase agreement is signed;
     (c) The promoter must establish an independent third-party escrow account for the purpose of protecting the funds or other property paid, pledged, or deposited by purchasers;
     (d) The promoter's solicitations, advertisements, and promotional materials must clearly and conspicuously disclose that "THE PROJECT IS NOT YET COMPLETED; IT IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION"; and
     (e) The promoter's solicitations, advertisements, and promotional materials and the timeshare interest purchase agreement must clearly and conspicuously provide for and disclose the last possible estimated date for completion of construction of any building the promoter is contractually obligated to the purchaser to complete.
     (2) The timeshare interest purchase agreement must contain the following language in fourteen-point bold face type: "If the building in which the timeshare interest is located and all contracted for amenities are not completed by [estimated date of completion], the purchaser has the right to void the purchase agreement and is entitled to a full, unqualified refund of all moneys paid."
     (3) One hundred percent of all funds or other property that is received from or on behalf of purchasers of timeshare interests prior to the occurrence of events required in this section must be deposited pursuant to a third-party escrow agreement approved by the director. For purposes of this section, "purchasers" includes all persons solicited, offered, or who purchased a timeshare interest by a promoter within the state of Washington. An escrow agent shall maintain the account only in such a manner as to be under the direct supervision and control of the escrow agent. The escrow agent has a fiduciary duty to each purchaser to maintain the escrow accounts in accordance with good accounting practices and to release the purchaser's funds or other property from escrow only in accordance with this chapter. If the escrow agent receives conflicting demands for funds or property held in escrow, the escrow agent shall immediately notify the department of licensing of the dispute and the department shall determine if and how the funds should be distributed. If the purchaser, promoter, or escrow agent disagrees with the department's determination, the parties have the right to request an administrative hearing under chapter 34.05 RCW. Funds may be released from the escrow account to the purchaser if the purchaser cancels within the cancellation period, or to the promoter only when all three of the following conditions occur:
     (a) The purchaser's cancellation period has expired;
     (b) Closing has occurred; and
     (c) Construction is complete and the building is ready to occupy.
     (4) In lieu of depositing purchaser funds into an escrow account, the promoter may post with the department a bond in an amount equal to or greater than the amount that would otherwise be required to be placed into the escrow account.
     (5) Any purchaser has the right to void the timeshare purchase agreement and request a full, unqualified refund if construction of the building in which the timeshare interest is located or all contracted for amenities are not completed within two years from the date that the irrevocable purchase agreement is signed or by the last estimated date of construction contained in the irrevocable purchase agreement, whichever is earlier.
     (6) If the completed timeshare building or contracted for amenities are materially and adversely different from the building or amenities that were promised to purchasers at the time that the purchase agreements were signed, the director may declare any or all of the purchaser contracts void. Before declaring the contracts void, the director shall give the promoter the opportunity for a hearing in accordance with chapters 34.05 and 18.235 RCW.
     (7) If the promoter intends to or does pledge or borrow against funds or properties, that are held in escrow or protected by a bond, to help finance in whole or in part the construction of the timeshare project or to help pay for operating costs, this must be fully, plainly, and conspicuously disclosed in all written advertising, in all written solicitations for the sale of the timeshare interests, in the registration with the director, and in the purchase agreement or contract.
     (8) A promoter who obtains an effective registration for a revocable timeshare interest reservation must meet the requirements of this section in order to complete an irrevocable purchase agreement.