HLS 23RS-782 ENGROSSED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 606
BY REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HOUSING: Provides relative to safe housing
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 9:3261.3 and R.S. 51:2615, relative to rental properties; to provide for safety
3 standards for rental properties; to provide for disclosure of criminal incidents; to
4 provide for leasing agreements; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 9:3261.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §3261.3. Lease agreements for certain residential dwellings; criminal incidents
8 A.(1) A lessee shall have the right to terminate a lease pertaining to any
9 rental property where a lessee has residency if there have been two or more violent
10 crimes or drug offenses with official police reports located on an adjacent property
11 of a single-family residence or on the property of a multi-family residence.
12 (2) If a lessee terminates a lease in accordance with this Subsection, the
13 lessee is liable for rent owed for the remaining term of the lease, but the lessor shall
14 not report the termination of a lease to any credit bureau.
15 B. In order for a lessee to terminate a lease without having a negative impact
16 on the lessee's credit report as provided in this Section, the lessee shall do all of the
17 following:
18 (1) Assert in writing to the lessor that there have been two or more violent
19 crimes or drug offenses with official police reports located on an adjacent property
20 of a single-family residence or on the property of a multi-family residence.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 23RS-782 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 606
1 (2) Provide the lessor reasonable documentation that there have been two or
2 more violent crimes or drug offenses with official police reports located on an
3 adjacent property of a single-family residence or on the property of a multi-family
4 residence, if the incidents occurred after the execution of the leasing agreement.
5 (3) Meet or agree to fulfill all requirements of a lessee under the lease.
6 C. A lessor may pursue legal actions to be paid the amount owed for the
7 remaining term of the lease.
8 Section 2. R.S. 51:2615 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §2615. Safety standards for rental properties
10 A. Any owner, property manager, or property management company shall
11 provide all of the following security measures to residential rental properties:
12 (1)(a) Security cameras capable of obtaining clear, discernable footage of
13 every portion of the rental property which is not located within the confines of the
14 building or structure itself. This may include but not be limited to all parking lots,
15 walkways, sidewalks, grassy areas, playground areas, and trash collection areas.
16 (b) The security camera systems shall be capable of storing and maintaining
17 all footage for a period of thirty days. After the passage of thirty days from the date
18 the footage was obtained, the rental property may delete the footage, unless
19 otherwise instructed by law enforcement, in which case, the rental property shall
20 maintain the footage to the extent instructed by law enforcement.
21 (c) The rental property shall immediately provide copies of any and all
22 available footage to law enforcement upon request.
23 (2)(a) Lighting capable of illuminating every portion of the rental property
24 which is not located within the confines of the building or structure itself. This may
25 include but not be limited to all parking lots, walkways, sidewalks, grassy areas,
26 playground areas, and trash collection areas.
27 (b) All lighting installed shall be of significant strength so that security
28 cameras required in this Section can obtain clear, discernable footage of outside
29 areas.
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 23RS-782 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 606
1 B.(1) Any owner, property manager, or property management company that
2 is responsible for or has control over the rental property shall, prior to renting or
3 leasing the rental property, disclose to any prospective tenant the resources where the
4 prospective tenants may obtain data regarding criminal incidents occurring within
5 close proximity of the rental property.
6 (2) The disclosure required by this Subsection shall include but may not be
7 limited to information provided by local police and sheriff departments and criminal
8 incidents that occurred on the property.
9 (3) The disclosure required by this Subsection shall be posted in the rental
10 office, made available online, or delivered in writing to prospective tenants.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 606 Engrossed 2023 Regular Session Jordan
Abstract: Allows for lessors to terminate a lease and creates safety standards for rental
properties.
Proposed law states a lessee shall have the right to terminate a lease pertaining to residency
of a lessee if two or more violent crimes or drug offenses with official police reports occur
on the adjacent property of a single-family residence or on the property of a multi-family
residence without the termination being reported to a credit bureau if the lessee pays the rent
owed for the remaining term of the lease.
Proposed law provides that a lessee may receive an early termination as provided in
proposed law, if the lessee does all of the following:
(1) Assert in writing that two or more violent crimes or drug offenses with official police
reports occurred on the adjacent property of a single-family residence or on the
property of a multi-family residence.
(2) Provide to the lessor reasonable documentation that two or more violent crimes or
drug offenses occur on the adjacent property of a single-family residence or on the
property of a multi-family residence, if the incidents occurred after the execution of
the leasing agreement.
(3) Meet or agree to fulfill all requirements of a lessee under the lease.
Proposed law allows a lessor to pursue legal actions to recover the paid amount owed for the
remaining term of the lease.
Proposed law creates safety standards for rental properties.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 23RS-782 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 606
Proposed law requires that any owner, property manager, or property management company
shall provide proper security cameras and lighting on their residential properties.
Proposed law requires that any owner, property manager, or property management company
that is responsible for or has control over the rental property shall, prior to renting or leasing
the rental property, disclose to any prospective tenant the resources where the prospective
tenants may obtain data regarding criminal incidents occurring within close proximity of the
rental property.
(Adds R.S. 9:3261.3 and R.S. 51:2615)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Commerce to the
original bill:
1. Replace proposed law and state that a lessee may choose to terminate his lease
if, after the execution of a lease, two or more violent crimes or drug offenses
with official police reports occur on the adjacent property of a single-family
residence or on the property of a multi-family residence. If the lessee fulfills the
requirements of proposed law, the termination shall not be reported to a credit
bureau if the lessee pays the rent owed for the remaining term of the lease.
2. Add that a lessor may pursue legal actions to recover the paid amount owed for
the remaining term of the lease.
3. Make technical changes.
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.