Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
HB 1919
Brief Description: Modifying the process by which a private moorage facility may sell an abandoned vessel for failure to pay moorage fees.
Sponsors: Representatives Bronoske, Corry, Leavitt, Reed and Tharinger.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Removes the obligation to publish notice in a newspaper before a private moorage operator may sell an abandoned vessel for failure to pay moorage fees.
  • Changes, from 90 days to 45 days, the amount of notice that a private moorage operator must provide to a vessel owner before a vessel may be sold for failure to pay moorage fees.
Hearing Date: 1/17/24
Staff: Robert Hatfield (786-7117).
Background:

A private moorage facility operator may secure a vessel moored or stored within the private moorage facility so that the vessel cannot be removed from the facility if the vessel's owner fails to pay moorage fees after being notified that such fees are due.  

 

At the time of securing the vessel, the private moorage facility operator must attach to the vessel a notice providing certain information, including that, if the account is not paid in full within 90 days from the time the notice is attached, the vessel may be sold at public auction to satisfy the charges.

 

Before the vessel is sold, notice of the sale must be published at least once, more than 10 but not more than 20 days before the sale, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the moorage facility is located.  This notice shall include the name of the vessel, if any, the last known owner and address, and a reasonable description of the vessel to be sold.
Summary of Bill:

The amount of notice that a private moorage operator must provide to a vessel owner before a vessel may be sold for failure to pay moorage fees is changed from 90 days to 45 days.

 

The requirement to publish notice in a newspaper before a private moorage operator may sell an abandoned vessel for failure to pay moorage fees is removed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.