SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 6377

As Passed Senate, February 17, 2004

Title: An act relating to renewal of transient accommodation licenses.

Brief Description: Revising provisions relating to renewal of transient accommodation licenses.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senator Honeyford).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 1/30/04, 2/4/04 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/17/04, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6377 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Franklin, Keiser and Mulliken.

Staff: John Dziedzic (786-7784)

Background: Transient accommodations are facilities, such as hotels, motels, resorts, condominiums, etc., that offer "three or more lodging units to travelers and transient guests."

Transient accommodations are regulated by the Department of Health. They must "secure each year an annual operating license" from the department. An application to renew a transient accommodation license must be "made" 30 days before it expires.

Summary of Bill: An application to renew a transient accommodation license must be either (a) postmarked by midnight on the expiration date of the license; or (b) received by the department by 5:00 p.m. on the expiration date of the license, if the application is electronically submitted or physically presented to the department.

An application for renewal that is late or otherwise deficient does not invalidate the underlying license, as long as the deficiencies are corrected within five weeks of the expiration date of the license.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This renewal process is the only one that requires an application for renewal to be made before the underlying license expires.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: T. K. Bentler, WA Hotel Assn.