READ FIRST TIME 02/03/06.   

     AN ACT Relating to liability protection for landlords; adding a new section to chapter 59.18 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that, in order to improve the safety of our communities, more housing needs to be made available to registered sex offenders. The legislature also finds that registered sex offenders who reside in close proximity to one another, or in the same housing or apartment unit, are less likely to reoffend. The legislature finds that having registered sex offenders reside in close proximity to each other will improve supervision and monitoring. The legislature intends to increase the housing available to sex offenders by providing that landlords who rent to registered sex offenders shall be immune from civil liability for damages that may result.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 59.18 RCW to read as follows:
     A landlord who rents to a registered sex offender is immune from civil liability for damages caused by the tenant if the actions of the tenant that gave rise to civil liability were sex offenses described in RCW 9.94A.030. In order for a landlord to be protected from liability as provided under this section, a landlord must disclose to residents of the property that he or she rents or has a policy of renting to sex offenders.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall conduct a study on sex offender registration and sex offender housing laws in every state. The study may be limited to a review and analysis of each state's laws regarding: (a) Whether and how often sex offenders are required to report in person to law enforcement; (b) whether and how often law enforcement is required to make in-person contact with registered sex offenders in the community; (c) the characteristics of sex offenders subject to registration requirements; (d) estimates on the costs and benefits of more frequent in-person contact between law enforcement and sex offenders in the community; (e) restrictions on or supports for sex offender housing units in the community regarding housing more than one offender in the same residence; and (f) the costs and benefits of permitting or encouraging housing in the community for more than one sex offender in the same residence.
     (2) The findings and any recommendations from the study shall be placed into a final report to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than December 31, 2006.