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General Assembly Committee Bill No. 54
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 5019
Referred to Committee on HOUSING
Introduced by:
(HSG)
AN ACT CONCERNING A LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO REVIEW
CRIMINAL RECORDS REL ATING TO A PROSPECTIVE TENANT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2019) Not later than January 1, 1
2020, the Commissioner of Housing shall, by regulations adopted in 2
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, 3
establish a limited time period, immediately preceding a rental 4
application, during which a landlord, as defined in section 47a-1 of the 5
general statutes, may consider the criminal record of a prospective 6
tenant, as defined in section 47a-1 of the general statutes, to evaluate 7
the housing application of such prospective tenant. 8
Sec. 2. Section 8-45a of the general statutes is repealed and the 9
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019): 10
A housing authority, as defined in subsection (b) of section 8-39, in 11
determining eligibility for the rental of public housing units, may 12
establish criteria and consider relevant information concerning (1) an 13
applicant's or any proposed occupant's history of criminal activity, 14
during the time period established by the Commissioner of Housing in 15
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regulations adopted under section 1 of this act, involving: (A) Crimes 16
of physical violence to persons or property, (B) crimes involving the 17
illegal manufacture, sale, distribution or use of, or possession with 18
intent to manufacture, sell, use or distribute, a controlled substance, as 19
defined in section 21a-240, or (C) other criminal acts which would 20
adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of other tenants, (2) an 21
applicant's or any proposed occupant's abuse, or pattern of abuse, of 22
alcohol when the housing authority has reasonable cause to believe 23
that such applicant's or proposed occupant's abuse, or pattern of 24
abuse, of alcohol may interfere with the health, safety or right to 25
peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents, and (3) an 26
applicant or any proposed occupant who is subject to a lifetime 27
registration requirement under section 54-252 on account of being 28
convicted or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of a 29
sexually violent offense. In evaluating any such information, the 30
housing authority shall give consideration to the time, nature and 31
extent of the applicant's or proposed occupant's conduct and to factors 32
which might indicate a reasonable probability of favorable future 33
conduct, such as evidence of rehabilitation and evidence of the 34
willingness of the applicant, the applicant's family or the proposed 35
occupant to participate in social service or other appropriate 36
counseling programs and the availability of such programs. 37
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2019 New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2019 8-45a
Statement of Purpose:
To assist individuals with prior criminal convictions to find adequate
housing.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
not underlined.]
Co-Sponsors: SEN. LOONEY, 11th Dist.
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S.B. 54