H.B. 256 Summary

• Allows tenants who are victims of rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, dating violence, abuse, or sexually oriented offenses to terminate rental agreements with 30 days' notice by providing a qualifying protection order or written report from a qualified third party (law enforcement officer, health care professional, court employee, mental health professional, or victim advocate).

• Permits victims to install new locks on rental premises at their own expense by rekeying existing locks or replacing the locking mechanism, with landlords prohibited from providing keys to named individuals identified in protection orders.

• Protects tenants from landlord retaliation for actions related to the crime victim protections, and landlords cannot discriminate against applicants based on past victimization or suspected future victimization.

• Authorizes a $200 per-rental-agreement nonrefundable income tax credit for landlords whose tenants terminate agreements under these provisions, with excess credits carried forward for two additional years.

• Prohibits law enforcement agencies and local governments from charging victims or property owners where victims reside for assistance services, and excludes service calls related to specified crimes from nuisance definitions.