Makes various changes relating to property. (BDR 10-623)
AN ACT relating to property; establishing and revising various definitions relating to property; establishing provisions relating to fees charged by landlords to prospective tenants; prohibiting landlords from transferring, selling, assigning or reporting to certain agencies information concerning amounts owed by tenants to landlords; establishing provisions relating to circumstances under which a landlord changes his or her agent, broker or property management company; requiring a rental agreement to include separate appendices that contain certain information; making it unlawful for a landlord or certain other persons to charge a tenant certain fees; making various changes relating to fees, fines, deposits and costs paid by tenants; requiring rental agreements to include a grace period for the late payment of rent; requiring a tenant to be served with advance notice of increases in certain fees, fines and costs; revising provisions relating to agents of attorneys who serve certain notices relating to evictions; revising provisions relating to representation in small claim actions; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
This bill, SB78A, aims to make several changes related to property management and tenant rights. It would revise definitions related to property, set limits on fees landlords can charge prospective tenants, and prohibit landlords from sharing certain debt information with agencies. The bill also addresses situations where landlords change their property management companies and requires rental agreements to include specific information in separate appendices. Furthermore, it seeks to ban certain fees for tenants, modify late payment grace periods, and ensure tenants are notified in advance of fee increases. Finally, the bill revises rules for attorneys serving eviction notices and representation in small claims.
The proposed changes would directly affect landlords and tenants in the state. Landlords would face stricter regulations on fees and tenant information, while tenants would gain more protections and clearer terms in rental agreements. This bill was introduced by Senators Sarah Peters, Howard Watts, Cecelia Gonzalez, and Fabian Donate, all Democrats. However, as of February 11, 2025, the bill has failed to progress further in the legislative process.
Key actions include the bill being read and scheduled for consideration on February 11, 2025, but it ultimately failed without further action. This marks the most recent development in the legislative journey of the bill, which began on February 3, 2025, when it was returned from the Secretary of State and made a special order of business.
