Rep. Jeremie Dufault, R-Selah, launched 14 amendments to the invoice throughout Monday’s government session, later withdrawing 4 of them. The opposite 10 didn’t move. One modification would have eliminated trip and short-term leases from the invoice, whereas one other would have capped late charges at 10% as an alternative of the 1.5% at the moment proposed within the laws.
Rep. Emily Alvarado, D-West Seattle, the prime sponsor of the invoice, additionally launched one modification through the government session that was adopted by Democratic committee members, requiring the lawyer common’s workplace to undertake mannequin lease provisions by Jan. 1, 2026 as an alternative of Jan. 1, 2025.
In closing statements earlier than the ultimate vote Monday, Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, informed committee members that whereas lawmakers have seen folks affected by extreme hire will increase, he doesn’t consider hire caps will resolve the housing disaster. The proposal, he stated, would make it worse. Critics have argued hire caps would discourage folks from being landlords and damage their means to recoup prices.
“Throughout this we keep hearing about fairness, but in the entirety of this bill, in order to have fairness, you have to have parity,” Barkis stated. “In order to do that, you have to recognize both sides of the equation. I’ve said it before, and you cannot have tenants without housing providers. This bill is one-sided, to say the least.”
