House Bill 151 Summary

• Clarifies real estate broker roles in vacation rental transactions by defining "advanced payments" and protecting brokers from personal liability when failing to identify the landlord in rental agreements.

• Allows members of the Armed Forces and their spouses to terminate vacation rental agreements upon receipt of deployment orders or permanent change of station orders by providing written notice within 10 calendar days, with full refund of payments within 30 days except nonrefundable third-party fees.

• Requires landlords managing vacation rental properties to install and maintain operable carbon monoxide alarms (minimum one per rental unit per level) in units with fossil-fuel burning heaters, appliances, or fireplaces and units with attached garages.

• Amends court fee provisions for eviction proceedings to clarify that if a tenant appeals a magistrate's judgment for summary ejectment and the judgment is vacated, any court-appearance fee awarded to the landlord shall also be vacated.

• Authorizes Orange County to amend its state land lease to allow a leasehold deed of trust (up to 40 years) and extends construction commencement and completion dates by 18 months to facilitate jail construction, without requiring Governor or Council of State approval.