The bill amends tenant screening requirements and protections related to housing subsidies, including the following key changes:
Key Provisions:
Exclusion of Credit Information:
A prospective tenant using a housing subsidy is not required to include a credit history report, credit score, or adverse credit event in their portable tenant screening report.
Repeals Previous Requirement:
The bill removes the provision that allowed a landlord to request a prospective tenant to make their screening report directly available through a consumer reporting agency or third-party website.
Definition of Adverse Credit Event:
The bill defines an adverse credit event as something that can negatively affect a person's credit, such as past due rent payments or collections, which can be seen on a credit report.
Timeframe for Screening Report:
The bill increases the timeframe for the validity of the screening report from 30 days to 60 days, meaning a landlord can require the screening report to be completed within 60 days of the application.
These changes aim to reduce barriers for tenants using housing subsidies by limiting the impact of adverse credit history on their rental applications, ensuring that their access to housing is not unfairly hindered by past financial challenges.
Summary
The bill amends the definition of a portable tenant screening
report (screening report) to specify that a prospective tenant using a housing subsidy is not required to include a credit history report, a credit score, or an adverse credit event with the tenant's screening report.
The bill repeals language allowing a landlord to require a tenant
to make a screening report directly available to the landlord through a consumer reporting agency or third-party website.
Current law prohibits a landlord from inquiring into a prospective
tenant's adverse credit event. The bill defines adverse credit event as an event that can be reflected in a consumer credit report or might negatively affect a person's credit score, including past due delinquent rent payments and collections.
The bill allows a landlord receiving a portable tenant screening
report to require that the screening report was completed within the previous 60 days, which time period is increased from 30 days.
