WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

House unanimously approves Tarleton’s safe keys legislation

Rep. Tarleton is congratulated by fellow lawmakers after passing her first bill, HB 1647, from the House of Representatives. HB 1647 would require landlords to safely secure spare keys to rental units.
Rep. Tarleton is congratulated by fellow lawmakers after passing her first bill, HB 1647, from the House of Representatives. HB 1647 would require landlords to safely secure spare keys to rental units.
State Representative Gael Tarleton’s bill requiring landlords to safely secure spare keys to their rental units was approved by the House of Representatives today by a vote of 98-0.

Tarleton introduced the measure after hearing Dana Widrig’s story.

Widrig was brutally beaten and raped in her apartment complex three years ago. Her attacker was a maintenance employee who worked at Widrig’s apartment complex. He gained access to a spare set of keys to her rental unit because they weren’t properly secured by the landlord.

Under current law, there’s no legal requirement for a landlord to safely secure spare or master keys to rental units – a problem Rep. Tarleton hopes to fix with HB 1647.

“Everyone who lives in an apartment has a right to be safe when they go to sleep at night,” said Tarleton.

This is Tarleton’s first year representing the 36th Legislative District. HB 1647 is her first bill to be approved by the House of Representatives. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.