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Committee hears bill to require non-biometric access options, tenant privacy disclosures for smart locks
Summary
The House Housing Committee heard testimony on ESSB 5937, which would require landlords to offer alternative access methods (key, fob, card) on tenant request and provide plain-language privacy policies for smart access systems used in RLTA-covered properties, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
The Washington State House Housing Committee on Feb. 18 heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,937, which would add smart access systems to the Residential Landlord Tenant Act and require landlords to offer non-biometric alternatives when a tenant requests one.
Audrey Vacek, staff to the committee, told lawmakers the bill defines a "smart access system" to include RFID cards, mobile-phone applications and biometric identifiers and excludes systems that rely solely on manual keypads. Under the bill, landlords of smart access buildings must make the system developer's privacy policy available to tenants and, if required information is missing,…
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