Lawmakers in the state House of Representatives gave unanimous approval to six bills on Wednesday – the first legislation to pass since the 2023 session began January 9th. One comes from a brand-new Republican legislator. John Sattgast reports from the state Capitol.
Barely three weeks into the legislative session, freshman Representative April Connors of Kennewick got her first bill passed in the state House. The measure adds an exemption to the Landlord-Tenant Act for residential leaseback agreements of up to three months. Connors added:
“It allows residential real estate agents to help their clients enter into a leaseback agreement where they are not subject to the eviction process of the Landlord-Tenant Act.”
A leaseback is an agreement between a buyer and seller of a property that allows the seller to continue living in and renting the property. Connors says House Bill 1070 would remove the legal cloud of uncertainty many homebuyers feel when entering into these agreements:
“It’s usually used in a fashion when sellers are moving out of their house and need a day or two to move into their new house and clean their house up. And the buyers move in much happier.”
The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.