READ FIRST TIME 03/04/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to movement of mobile homes; and amending RCW 46.44.170, 43.22.340, 43.22.432, 46.12.290, and 59.21.021.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 46.44.170 and 2004 c 79 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Any person moving a mobile home as defined in RCW 46.04.302 or a park model trailer as defined in RCW 46.04.622 upon public highways of the state must obtain:
     (a) A special permit from the department of transportation and local authorities pursuant to RCW 46.44.090 and 46.44.093 and shall pay the proper fee as prescribed by RCW 46.44.0941 and 46.44.096; and
     (b) For mobile homes constructed before June 15, 1976, and already situated in the state: (i) A certification from the department of labor and industries that the mobile home was inspected for fire safety; or (ii) an affidavit in the form prescribed by the department of community, trade, and economic development signed by the owner at the county treasurer's office at the time of the application for the movement permit stating that the mobile home is being moved by the owner for his or her continued occupation or use; or (iii) a copy of the certificate of ownership or title together with an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury by the certified owner stating that the mobile home is being transferred to a wrecking yard or similar facility for disposal. In addition, the destroyed mobile home must be removed from the assessment rolls of the county and any outstanding taxes on the destroyed mobile home must be removed by the county treasurer.
     (2) A special permit issued as provided in subsection (1) of this section for the movement of any mobile home or a park model trailer that is assessed for purposes of property taxes shall not be valid until the county treasurer of the county in which the mobile home or park model trailer is located shall endorse or attach his or her certificate that all property taxes which are a lien or which are delinquent, or both, upon the mobile home or park model trailer being moved have been satisfied. Further, any mobile home or park model trailer required to have a special movement permit under this section shall display an easily recognizable decal. However, endorsement or certification by the county treasurer and the display of the decal is not required:
     (a) When a mobile home or park model trailer is to enter the state or is being moved from a manufacturer or distributor to a retail sales outlet or directly to the purchaser's designated location or between retail and sales outlets;
     (b) When a signed affidavit of destruction is filed with the county assessor and the mobile home or park model trailer is being moved to a disposal site by a landlord as defined in RCW 59.20.030 after (i) the mobile home or park model trailer has been abandoned as defined in RCW 59.20.030; or (ii) a final judgment for restitution of the premises under RCW 59.18.410 has been executed in favor of the landlord with regard to the mobile home or park model trailer. The mobile home or park model trailer will be removed from the tax rolls and, upon notification by the assessor, any outstanding taxes on the destroyed mobile home or park model trailer will be removed by the county treasurer; or
     (c) When a signed affidavit of destruction is filed with the county assessor by any mobile home or park model trailer owner or any property owner with an abandoned mobile home or park model trailer, the same shall be removed from the tax rolls and upon notification by the assessor, any outstanding taxes on the destroyed mobile home or park model trailer shall be removed by the county treasurer.
     (3) If the landlord of a mobile home park takes ownership of a mobile home or park model trailer with the intent to resell or rent the same under RCW 59.20.030 after (a) the mobile home or park model trailer has been abandoned as defined in RCW 59.20.030; or (b) a final judgment for restitution of the premises under RCW 59.18.410 has been executed in favor of the landlord with regard to the mobile home or park model trailer, the outstanding taxes become the responsibility of the landlord.
     (4) It is the responsibility of the owner of the mobile home or park model trailer subject to property taxes or the agent to obtain the endorsement and decal from the county treasurer before a mobile home or park model trailer is moved.
     (5) This section does not prohibit the issuance of vehicle license plates for a mobile home or park model trailer subject to property taxes, but plates shall not be issued unless the mobile home or park model trailer subject to property taxes for which plates are sought has been listed for property tax purposes in the county in which it is principally located and the appropriate fee for the license has been paid.
     (6) The department of transportation, the department of labor and industries, and local authorities are authorized to adopt reasonable rules for implementing the provisions of this section. The department of transportation shall adopt rules specifying the design, reflective characteristics, annual coloration, and for the uniform implementation of the decal required by this section. By January 1, 2006, the department of labor and industries shall also adopt procedures for notifying destination local jurisdictions concerning the arrival of mobile homes that failed safety inspections.

Sec. 2   RCW 43.22.340 and 2003 c 53 s 228 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The director shall adopt specific rules for conversion vending units and medical units. The rules for conversion vending units and medical units shall be established to protect the occupants from fire; to address other life safety issues; and to ensure that the design and construction are capable of supporting any concentrated load of five hundred pounds or more. Also, the director shall adopt specific rules concerning safety standards as necessary to implement subsection (3) of this section by January 1, 2006.
     (2) The director of labor and industries shall adopt rules governing safety of body and frame design, and the installation of plumbing, heating, and electrical equipment in mobile homes, commercial coaches, recreational vehicles, and/or park trailers: PROVIDED, That the director shall not prescribe or enforce rules governing the body and frame design of recreational vehicles and park trailers until after the American National Standards Institute shall have published standards and specifications upon this subject. The rules shall be reasonably consistent with recognized and accepted principles of safety for body and frame design and plumbing, heating, and electrical installations, in order to protect the health and safety of the people of this state from dangers inherent in the use of substandard and unsafe body and frame design, construction, plumbing, heating, electrical, and other equipment and shall correlate with and, so far as practicable, conform to the then current standards and specifications of the American National Standards Institute standards A119.1 for mobile homes and commercial coaches, A119.2 for recreational vehicles, and A119.5 for park trailers.
     (3) Except as provided in RCW 43.22.436, it shall be unlawful for any person to lease, sell or offer for sale, within this state, any mobile homes, commercial coaches, conversion vending units, medical units, recreational vehicles, and/or park trailers manufactured after January 1, 1968, containing plumbing, heating, electrical, or other equipment, and after July 1, 1970, body and frame design or construction, unless such equipment, design, or construction meets the requirements of the rules provided for in this section.
     (4) Any person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. Each day upon which a violation occurs shall constitute a separate violation.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.22.432 and 2002 c 268 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department may adopt all standards and regulations adopted by the secretary under the national manufactured home construction and safety standards act of 1974 (800 Stat. 700; 42 U.S.C. Secs. 5401-5426) for manufactured home construction and safety standards. If any deletions or amendments to the federal standards or regulations are thereafter made and notice thereof is given to the department, the standards or regulations shall be considered automatically adopted by the state under this chapter after the expiration of thirty days from publication in the federal register of a final order describing the deletions or amendments unless within that thirty day period the department objects to the deletion or amendment. In case of objection, the department shall proceed under the rule making procedure of chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (2) The department shall adopt rules with respect to manufactured homes that require the prior written approval of the department before changes or alterations may be made to a manufactured home that differ from the construction standards provided for in this section.
     (3) For purposes of implementing this section, by January 1, 2006, the department shall adopt requirements for manufactured homes built before June 15, 1976.
     (4) Except as provided in RCW 43.22.436, it is unlawful for any person to lease, sell, or offer for sale, within this state, a manufactured home unless the home meets the requirements of the rules provided for in this section.

Sec. 4   RCW 46.12.290 and 1993 c 154 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The provisions of chapter 46.12 RCW insofar as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of chapter 231, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. or chapter 65.20 RCW apply to mobile or manufactured homes: PROVIDED, That RCW 46.12.080 and 46.12.250 through 46.12.270 shall not apply to mobile or manufactured homes.
     (2) In order to transfer ownership of a mobile home, all registered owners of record must sign the title certificate releasing their ownership. If the mobile home was manufactured before June 15, 1976, the registered owner must sign an affidavit in the form prescribed by the department of licensing that notice was provided to the purchaser of the mobile home that failure of the mobile home to meet federal housing and urban development standards or failure of the mobile home to meet a fire and safety inspection by the department of labor and industries may result in denial by a local jurisdiction of a permit to site the mobile home.
     (3) The director of licensing shall have the power to adopt such rules as necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter relating to mobile homes.

Sec. 5   RCW 59.21.021 and 2002 c 257 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If a mobile home park is closed or converted to another use after December 31, 1995, eligible tenants shall be entitled to assistance on a first-come, first-serve basis. The department shall give priority for distribution of relocation assistance to tenants residing in parks that are closed as a result of park-owner fraud or as a result of health and safety concerns as determined by the local board of health. Payments shall be made upon the department's verification of eligibility, subject to the availability of remaining funds. Eligibility for relocation assistance funds is limited to low-income households. As used in this section, "low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is less than eighty percent of the median family income, adjusted for household size, for the county where the mobile or manufactured home is located.
     (2) Assistance for closures occurring after December 31, 1995, is limited to persons who maintain ownership of and relocate their mobile home or who dispose of a home not relocatable to a new site.
     (3) Persons who removed and disposed of their mobile home or maintained ownership of and relocated their mobile homes are entitled to reimbursement of actual relocation expenses up to ((seven)) twelve thousand dollars for a double-wide home and up to ((three)) seven thousand five hundred dollars for a single-wide home.
     (4) Any individual or organization may apply to receive funds from the mobile home park relocation fund, for use in combination with funds from public or private sources, toward relocation of tenants eligible under this section. Funds received from the mobile home park relocation fund shall only be used for relocation assistance expenses or other mobile/manufactured home ownership expenses, that include down payment assistance, if the owners are not planning to relocate their mobile home as long as their original home is removed from the park.