Changing the definition of and the applicability of one-family and two-family dwelling rules to a bed and breakfast

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, no person may maintain, manage, or operate a bed and breakfast for more than ten nights in a year without obtaining a permit from the Department of Health Services (DHS). A bed and breakfast is defined as any place of lodging that provides eight or fewer rooms for rent to no more than 20 individuals;

provides no meals other than breakfast, which must be provided only to renters; is the owner's personal residence and is occupied by the owner at the time of rental; was originally built and occupied as a single-family residence, or was converted to use and occupied as a single-family residence, before use as a place of lodging; and has had completed, before May 11, 1990, any structural additions to the dimensions of the original structure, including by renovation. The limitation on structural additions does not apply, under current law, to a structural addition, made to a structure that was originally constructed at least 50 years before a permit application was made and for which no use other than as a bed and breakfast is proposed as long as the addition complies with the rules for one-family and two-family dwelling construction and inspection, or to a structural addition made to a structure after May 11, 1990, that is within the dimensions of the original structure. Current law requires that bed and breakfasts be operated and maintained with strict regard to public health and safety and requires bed and breakfasts to comply with rules relating to public health and safety, as prescribed by DHS. The rules DHS prescribes for public health and safety in bed and breakfasts must be less stringent than similar rules for other establishments, such as hotels and restaurants, and cannot require a second exit from a floor above the first floor of the bed and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are subject to laws similar to other establishments, including requiring a preinspection by DHS or a local health department before a permit to operate is issued. This bill changes the definition of a bed and breakfast to eliminate the requirement that a bed and breakfast has had completed, before May 11, 1990, any structural additions to the dimensions of the original structure.

Who's behind it

3 senators are its authors⁠. 2 are Republicans and 1 is a Democrat.

6 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DHS
• Fiscal Estimate From DSPS