| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | LC002022 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO PROPERTY – RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Introduced By: Representatives Cruz, Shekarchi, Kazarian, Speakman, Potter, Stewart, |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Casimiro, Slater, Blazejewski, and Abney |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: March 03, 2023 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 34-18 of the General Laws entitled "Residential Landlord and Tenant 1 |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | 34-18-58. Fair limitation on rental application fees -- Effective January 1, 2024. 3 |
|---|
| 29 | | - | (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real 7 |
|---|
| 30 | | - | estate broker, property management company or designee from requiring an official state criminal 8 |
|---|
| 31 | | - | background check from the bureau of criminal identification (BCI), department of attorney general, 9 |
|---|
| 32 | | - | state police or local police department where the prospective tenant resides or from requiring a 10 |
|---|
| 33 | | - | credit check subject to the following limitations: 11 |
|---|
| 34 | | - | (1) If a prospective tenant provides a required official state criminal background check or 12 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | credit report issued within ninety (90) days of the application for a rental unit, no fee for such 13 |
|---|
| 36 | | - | official state criminal background check and/or credit report may be charged by the respective 14 |
|---|
| 37 | | - | landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company or designee; 15 |
|---|
| 38 | | - | (2) If a prospective tenant does not provide a required official state background check 16 |
|---|
| 39 | | - | and/or credit report issued within ninety (90) days of the application for a rental unit, then the 17 |
|---|
| 40 | | - | landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company or designee may 18 |
|---|
| 41 | | - | charge the prospective tenant a fee representing not more than the actual cost of obtaining the 19 |
|---|
| 42 | | - | |
|---|
| 43 | | - | |
|---|
| 44 | | - | LC002022 - Page 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 45 | | - | official state background check and/or credit report. Provided further, any prospective tenant who 1 |
|---|
| 46 | | - | is charged a fee under this subsection for a background check or credit report shall be provided 2 |
|---|
| 47 | | - | with a copy of the background check or credit report; and 3 |
|---|
| 48 | | - | (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, 4 |
|---|
| 49 | | - | real estate broker, property management company or designee from obtaining an independent 5 |
|---|
| 50 | | - | background check or credit report at the landlord's own expense. 6 |
|---|