Washington SB 6237: Concerning rental property disclosures of flooding history and flood risk.

Bill Text

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6237
Chapter 234, Laws of 2026
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
RENTAL PROPERTY—FLOOD DISCLOSURES
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 11, 2026
Passed by the Senate February 11,
2026
Yeas 46 Nays 3
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Passed by the House March 3, 2026
Yeas 65 Nays 28
LAURIE JINKINS
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
CERTIFICATE
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
Washington, do hereby certify that
the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE
BILL 6237 as passed by the Senate
and the House of Representatives on
the dates hereon set forth.
SARAH BANNISTER
Secretary
Approved March 27, 2026 11:26 AM FILED
March 31, 2026
BOB FERGUSON
Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to rental property disclosures of flooding 1
history and flood risk; and reenacting and amending RCW 59.18.060.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 59.18.060 and 2023 c 331 s 5 and 2023 c 105 s 8 are 4
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:5
The landlord will at all times during the tenancy keep the 6
premises fit for human habitation, and shall in particular:7
(1) Maintain the premises to substantially comply with any 8
applicable code, statute, ordinance, or regulation governing their 9
maintenance or operation, which the legislative body enacting the 10
applicable code, statute, ordinance or regulation could enforce as to 11
the premises rented if such condition endangers or impairs the health 12
or safety of the tenant;13
(2) Maintain the structural components including, but not limited 14
to, the roofs, floors, walls, chimneys, fireplaces, foundations, and 15
all other structural components, in reasonably good repair so as to 16
be usable;17
(3) Keep any shared or common areas reasonably clean, sanitary, 18
and safe from defects increasing the hazards of fire or accident;19
(4) Provide a reasonable program for the control of infestation 20
by insects, rodents, and other pests at the initiation of the tenancy 21
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6237
Passed Legislature - 2026 Regular Session
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senate Housing (originally sponsored by Senators Bateman,
Hasegawa, Nobles, Shewmake, Valdez, and C. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 02/04/26.
p. 1 SSB 6237.SL

and, except in the case of a single-family residence, control 1
infestation during tenancy except where such infestation is caused by 2
the tenant;3
(5) Except where the condition is attributable to wear resulting 4
from ordinary use of the premises, make repairs and arrangements 5
necessary to put and keep the premises in as good condition as it by 6
law or rental agreement should have been, at the commencement of the 7
tenancy;8
(6) Provide reasonably adequate locks and furnish keys to the 9
tenant;10
(7) Maintain and safeguard with reasonable care any master key or 11
duplicate keys to the dwelling unit;12
(8) Maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other 13
facilities and appliances supplied by him or her in reasonably good 14
working order;15
(9) Maintain the dwelling unit in reasonably weathertight 16
condition;17
(10) Except in the case of a single-family residence, provide and 18
maintain appropriate receptacles in common areas for the removal of 19
ashes, rubbish, and garbage, incidental to the occupancy and arrange 20
for the reasonable and regular removal of such waste;21
(11) Provide facilities adequate to supply heat and water and hot 22
water as reasonably required by the tenant;23
(a) The landlord may not effect an involuntary termination of 24
electric utility or water service due to lack of payment to any 25
tenant on any day for which the national weather service has issued 26
or has announced that it intends to issue a heat-related alert, such 27
as an excessive heat warning, a heat advisory, an excessive heat 28
watch, or a similar alert, for the area in which the tenant's address 29
is located.30
(b)(i) A tenant at whose dwelling electric or water utility 31
service has been disconnected for lack of payment may request that 32
the landlord reconnect service on any day for which the national 33
weather service has issued or has announced that it intends to issue 34
a heat-related alert, such as an excessive heat warning, a heat 35
advisory, an excessive heat watch, or a similar alert, for the area 36
in which the tenant's address is located. The landlord shall inform 37
all tenants in the notice of disconnection of the ability to seek 38
reconnection and provide clear and specific information on how to 39
make that request, including how to contact the landlord.40
p. 2 SSB 6237.SL

(ii) Upon receipt of a request made pursuant to (b)(i) of this 1
subsection, the landlord shall promptly make a reasonable attempt to 2
reconnect service to the dwelling. The landlord, in connection with a 3
request made pursuant to (b)(i) of this subsection, may require the 4
te