This session, Representative Jamie Pedersen of the 43rd Legislative District has prime sponsored SHB 2657, which would fix the rather large loophole identified by the Washington Supreme Court in its May 2009 decision in Chadwick Farms Owners Association v. FHC, LLC, 166 Wn.2d 178, 207 P.3d 1251 (2009). 

In Chadwick Farms, the court held that any and all legal claims against LLCs abated -- essentially disappeared -- when an LLC's certification of formation was "cancelled."  The court explained that under the LLC statute as written, cancellation signalled the end of the LLC's existence and therefore, it could neither sue or be sued.  As a result, a company formed as an LLC could avoid liability -- even if a lawsuit had already been filed against it -- simply by filing a certificate of cancellation.  Since many condominium and HOA developers are formed as LLCs, homeowners in Washington stood to lose quite a bit if the loophole was not fixed.  But the court's holding is not limited to construction defect or homeowner lawsuits - any LLC could avoid liability simply by cancelling.

With the support of WSCAI and the LLC section of the Washington State Bar Association, Rep. Pedersen's bill does away with the concept of cancellation and makes the LLC statutes (found in RCW Chapter 25.15) more consistent with existing law for corporations.  The most recent striking amendment to the bill ensures that claims will survive against dissolved LLCs unless a sometimes-optional "certificate of dissolution" is filed and three years has run since the filing of the certificate.  WSCAI and the homeowners we represent thank Rep. Pedersen, the Bar Association Section and the Judiciary Committees in both the House and Senate for their efforts to pass this bill.

The bill was passed by the House and is scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Feb. 19.  The bill is expected to pass out of committee and be forwarded to the Rules Committee for review.  Click here for an update on the bill's status.