Governor Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 2199 on Monday to expedite the removal of abandoned and sinking boats from the Puget Sound. The new law streamlines the enforcement process to address vessels that pose risks to public safety and the health of the water.
The legislation is trying to combat the issue of abandoned ships that remain in the water for weeks, months, or years in some cases. A significant change in the law removes the requirement that a boat owner must be identified before a derelict vessel can be removed.
The legislative change was prompted in part by a tugboat that sank near Bremerton in late September of last year. The issue took months to resolve, and testimony at several hearings referenced the incident as an example of what can happen when vessels are left to languish in the water without a clear cleanup goal.
Gov. Ferguson also signed legislation regarding factory-built homes, which people in Western Washington recognize more as tiny homes that are often put in place to help house the homeless. Washington will now adopt national standards for these structures. Lawmakers expect the move to make housing construction faster and less expensive.
Additional labor protections were established for people working in homes as nannies, cooks, gardeners, housekeepers, and more. The new law guarantees these workers a bill of rights that would establish things like a clear minimum wage, overtime pay, and formal work agreements to clarify their roles and responsibilities.
While the bill passed, some lawmakers expressed concerns regarding its impact on independent contractors, saying it’s adding more regulations that could hamper some business.