FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5648

                           C 95 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing consistency in definitions regarding businesses furnishing lodging.

Sponsors:  Senator Haugen.

Senate Committee on Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:  Hotels, inns or public lodging houses are defined for some purposes as accommodations having 15 or more rooms.

Hotels must keep records on the arrival and departure of guests for one year.  Hotels also have limited liability for the property of guests under several circumstances, including for hotels with safes or for loss or damage to luggage.

It is a gross misdemeanor to obtain services at a hotel by fraud, and for more than $75 of services, it is a felony.

Hotel keepers may have a lien for charges due upon a guest=s baggage or other property that is brought into the hotel.  After retaining the property for certain amounts of time, a hotel may also give notice and sell the property to cover the charges.

Summary:  Hotels are defined as accommodations with three or more rooms.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 43 0

House     95 0

Effective:  July 25, 1999