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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- S 0274 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC000660 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT |
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| 16 | 16 | | Introduced By: Senators Quezada, Acosta, Bissaillon, and Bell |
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| 17 | 17 | | Date Introduced: February 13, 2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 34-18 of the General Laws entitled "Residential Landlord and Tenant 1 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
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| 24 | 24 | | 34-18-62. Inquiries regarding immigration status. 3 |
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| 25 | 25 | | (a) No landlord or any agent of the landlord shall: 4 |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) Make any inquiry regarding or based on the immigration or citizenship status of a 5 |
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| 27 | 27 | | tenant, prospective tenant, occupant, or prospective occupant of residential rental property; or 6 |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) Require that any tenant, prospective tenant, occupant, or prospective occupant of the 7 |
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| 29 | 29 | | rental property make any statement, representation, or certification concerning their immigration 8 |
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| 30 | 30 | | or citizenship status. 9 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) No municipality or housing agency shall compel a landlord or any agent of the landlord 10 |
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| 32 | 32 | | to make any inquiry, compile, disclose, report, or provide any information, prohibit offering or 11 |
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| 33 | 33 | | continuing to offer accommodations in the property for rent or lease, or otherwise take any action 12 |
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| 34 | 34 | | regarding or based on the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant, prospective tenant, occupant 13 |
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| 35 | 35 | | or prospective occupant of residential rental property. 14 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a landlord from: 15 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) Complying with any legal obligation under federal law; or 16 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) Requesting information or documentation necessary to determine or verify the financial 17 |
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| 39 | 39 | | qualifications of a prospective tenant, or to determine or verify the identity of a prospective tenant 18 |
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| 40 | 40 | | or prospective occupant. 19 |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | LC000660 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1 |
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| 45 | 45 | | ======== |
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| 46 | 46 | | LC000660 |
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| 47 | 47 | | ======== |
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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | LC000660 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 51 | 51 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 52 | 52 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 53 | 53 | | OF |
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| 54 | 54 | | A N A C T |
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| 55 | 55 | | RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT |
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| 56 | 56 | | *** |
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| 57 | 57 | | This act would prohibit a landlord from asking about the immigration status of a tenant, 1 |
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| 58 | 58 | | prospective tenant, occupant, or prospective occupant of residential rental property, subject to any 2 |
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| 59 | 59 | | federal laws or regulations, but would allow a landlord to request information or documentation 3 |
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| 60 | 60 | | necessary to determine or verify the financial qualifications of a prospective tenant or to determine 4 |
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| 61 | 61 | | or verify the identity of a prospective tenant. 5 |
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| 62 | 62 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 6 |
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| 63 | 63 | | ======== |
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| 64 | 64 | | LC000660 |
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| 65 | 65 | | ======== |
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| 66 | 66 | | |
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