Rent control bill dies in Washington state Senate
Last edited Mon Feb 26, 2024, 06:47 PM - Edit history (1)
The push to institute rent control in Washington state this year is dead.
Sen. June Robinson, chairwoman of the state Senate Ways and Means Committee, on Monday announced she would not call for a vote on the bill that would, among other things, cap the annual amount that landlords can increase rent on current tenants at 7%.
Monday was the last day for the bill to move out of Ways and Means to stay alive this session.
"There was no Republican support and not enough Democratic support to get the bill out of committee," Robinson, D-Everett, said in a statement. "I'm proud of the work we have done to make housing more affordable across Washington, but we fell short in this instance and will continue to work on the issue next year."
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2024/02/26/rent-control-bill-dies-in-state-senate.html
The next article doesn't have a paywall.
Plan for 7% statewide cap on rent increases fails in Washington Legislature
A push by some Democrats in the Legislature to cap annual rent increases across Washington hit a dead end on Monday.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee refused to vote on a policy that would have prohibited landlords from raising a residential tenant’s rent more than 7% a year, effectively killing the legislation. The bill also would’ve limited late rent fees.
Ways and Means chair June Robinson, D-Everett, told reporters the bill did not have enough support among committee members to move it forward, though she would not comment on any particular sticking points or which lawmakers would not vote for it.
The proposal has been on a winding road this legislative session. A previous version failed to make it out of the Senate Housing Committee. It passed in the House earlier this month with four Democrats joining Republicans in voting “no.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/02/26/plan-for-7-statewide-cap-on-rent-increases-fails-in-washington-legislature/