Residential construction consumer education, warranty protections, and contractor registration requirements (E2SHB 1393)

E2SHB 1393 did not pass out of the Senate before the Legislature adjourned. The version of the bill that passed out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee addressed city liability concerns with language that excludes local building inspectors acting in their official capacity from the definition of "construction professional" and would have excluded them from the requirement that they provide warranties against construction defects. An expected floor amendment would have eliminated the warranty provision altogether, which would also have addressed city concerns. We expect this is an issue that will resurface again next session.

Recommendations from the task force on the underground economy (SHB 1555)

On April 23, the House concurred in Senate amendments on SHB 1555, addressing the recommendations of the joint legislative task force on the underground economy in the construction industry. The bill has been delivered to the Governor.

This version of the bill states that a city "may verify" that a contractor is registered with the Department of Labor and Industries prior to issuing a business license. Also, cities would have a representative on the task force going forward.

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