Committee advances bill to allow clotheslines in common-interest communities, 14-12

The Housing & Community Development Committee advanced House Bill 67 on a 14-12 vote after hearing sponsor remarks and committee discussion.

The bill, described to the committee as guaranteeing “the right of residents living in a common interest ownership community” to dry clothes using solar energy, would also permit community association boards to place reasonable restrictions on where and how clotheslines are used, according to a staff summary presented during the hearing.

Tim, a committee staff member who described the measure to the panel, said, “This bill ensures the right of residents living in a common interest ownership community, the right to dry their clothes using solar energy. The bill also ensures that the COIC boards place reasonable restrictions on such activities.” Representative Borowski, the prime sponsor, told the committee the legislation continues an effort from the prior session and was requested by a homeowner who said her HOA prohibited outdoor clotheslines.

“This legislation was brought to me by a member of one of my HOAs in my district, who just wanted the opportunity to be able to dry hang her clothes out to dry in her backyard,” Representative Borowski said. He said he worked with the community associations group to adjust language so it would be “acceptable to them” and added that the bill has support from senior groups.

A Republican member of the committee said the caucus is likely to oppose the bill because it would involve the state in matters the member believes should be decided by homeowners associations. That member argued property decisions should remain at the HOA level unless they clearly infringe on neighbors.

Representative Probst moved to commit the bill and Representative Powell seconded the motion. The committee then voted to report the bill out of committee, 14 in favor and 12 opposed. The committee did not record a roll-call vote with individual member names in the transcript; the motion was reported as passing 14-12.

The committee’s action advances the bill out of committee; the transcript does not specify the next committee or calendar placement. The sponsor characterized the bill as aiming to balance resident access to solar drying with community aesthetics and nuisance rules. The transcript does not include the bill text, specific restrictions that boards could impose, or the bill's ultimate effective date.

The committee’s first meeting covered two agenda items; House Bill 67 drew the primary substantive discussion and a formal committee report vote.