House Bill 1353, No Ordinances/Deeds May Stop Clotheslines heard today in House Water Resources Committee. Not sure why but nothing about this bill makes much sense.
Bill sponsor, Rep Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) rolled out a committee substitute bill that only slightly changes the bill by adding a definition for “residential property”. As you may recall from yesterday’s post, this bill would prohibit city and county ordinances from prohibiting the installation of clotheslines.
Freshman Rep and attorney Hugh Blackwell (R Burke) proposed an amendment that takes out a provision offering a remedy in civil court and awarding legal fees to the prevailing party. In speaking with him after the meeting, Rep Blackwell said he was trying to take out the possible litigiousness of a clothesline dispute, hoping to keep those disputes out of courts and between neighbors where they belong and freeing the courts to deal with public safety and other legitimate concerns. The amendment passed.
With limited additional debate (really, what is there to say other than, why?) the bill passes and moves along.
