BILL REQ. #: H-2344.1

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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2244
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State of Washington

60th Legislature

2007 Regular Session

By House Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Miloscia, Ormsby and Santos)

READ FIRST TIME 02/23/07.

AN ACT Relating to homeless tent encampments; and adding a new section to chapter 43.185C RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.185C RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Due to concerns about maintaining freedom of religious expression, religious organizations shall not be restricted from hosting temporary encampments for the homeless. A temporary encampment may be subject to reasonable compliance requirements related to public health and safety. Fines may only be levied in cases in which the religious organization has clearly endangered the public health or safety of the community due to the presence of the temporary encampment.
     (2) Any applicable permit fees for temporary encampments may not exceed five hundred dollars.
     (3) Counties, cities, and towns must respond to temporary encampment permit applications submitted on behalf of religious organizations within sixty days.
     (4) No county, city, or town shall set less than ninety days as the maximum duration for temporary encampments.

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