Bill > HB2294

This bill establishes new rules to prevent private agreements from restricting the use of real property for grocery stores or pharmacies, aiming to ensure consumer access to food and medicine. It defines key terms like "drug store," "grocery store," "pharmacy," and "retail center" (a development with multiple owners or tenants sharing common areas and management). The bill declares that any private agreement, such as a deed restriction or covenant, that prohibits or limits the establishment of a grocery store or pharmacy, even if otherwise permitted by local zoning laws, is against public policy and therefore void and unenforceable. This prohibition applies to agreements made after the bill's effective date and covers restrictions on the size of such stores. However, there are exceptions: agreements in place before the bill's effective date are unaffected, and restrictions may be allowed if a grocery store or pharmacy owner is relocating to a similar or larger facility within two miles, with operations starting within two years, and the restriction on the old site does not exceed five years. Additionally, within a retail center, restrictions can be used to limit the number of grocery stores or pharmacies to prevent excessive competition, but owners who discontinue operations for over a year cannot enforce such restrictions. Cities, towns, and counties can grant extensions to these relocation and restriction timeframes under specific circumstances, such as maintaining or increasing access to food and medicine. Any party entering into such a restrictive agreement must notify the attorney general and the relevant local government within ten days. The attorney general or local governments can take legal action to enforce these provisions, and local governments can also enact their own ordinances with penalties for violations.

Business and Industry

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2294&Year=2025&Initiative=false