HOUSE BILL REPORT
SSB 6237
As Reported by House Committee On:
Housing
Title: An act relating to rental property disclosures of flooding history and flood risk.
Brief Description: Concerning rental property disclosures of flooding history and flood risk.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Housing (originally sponsored by Senators Bateman, Hasegawa, Nobles, Shewmake, Valdez and Wilson, C.).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Housing: 2/18/26, 2/23/26 [DP].
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Requires landlords to provide information to tenants about the potential for a residential dwelling unit to be located in a flooding area and insurance coverage.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 12 members:Representatives Peterson, Chair; Hill, Vice Chair; Richards, Vice Chair; Low, Ranking Minority Member; Manjarrez, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Entenman, Gregerson, Lekanoff, Reed, Thomas, Timmons and Zahn.
Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by 1 member:Representative Dufault.
Minority Report: Without recommendation.Signed by 4 members:Representatives Jacobsen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Barkis, Connors and Engell.
Staff: Serena Dolly (786-7150) and Jim Morishima (786-7191).
Background:

The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA) governs the legal duties, rights, and remedies related to any rental agreement between a landlord and a tenant for a residential dwelling unit.  Under the RLTA, a landlord is required to provide certain notices and disclosures to tenants.  For example, a landlord must disclose information about a rental's smoke detectors and provide information about ways to control mold. 
Summary of Bill:

For tenancies covered under the RLTA and entered into after December 31, 2026, a landlord must disclose the following information:

  • The property may be located in a special flood hazard area or an area of potential flooding.
  • Information about potential hazards, including whether the property may be at risk of flooding, is available from the county.
  • The landlord's insurance does not cover the tenant's personal possessions, and the tenant should consider purchasing flood and renter's insurance to insure the renter's possessions from loss due to fire, flood, or other risks.
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.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) None.

 

(Opposed) None.

 

(Other) Housing providers already manage extensive and lengthy leases, and adding yet another required disclosure is problematic from an operational and compliance standpoint.  However, this version of the bill narrows the disclosure requirements to a more operationally manageable process.
Persons Testifying:

Krystelle Purkey, Washington Multi-Family Housing Association.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.