Substitute House Bill 50 Summary

• Creates a certificate of qualification for housing that allows individuals convicted of crimes to petition courts for relief from housing-related collateral sanctions, with a $50 filing fee that may be waived for indigent applicants.

• Establishes waiting periods before petitioners can apply: one year after release for felonies and six months after release for misdemeanors, with a rebuttable presumption of eligibility after three years for felonies or one year for misdemeanors.

• Extends the Home Construction Service Suppliers Act to cover repairs, improvements, remodels, and renovations of existing residential structures, in addition to new construction, for contracts exceeding $25,000.

• Modifies the residential development property tax exemption application process so that county auditors (instead of the tax commissioner) approve applications for pre-residential development property exemptions.

• Restricts school board notification requirements by prohibiting auditors from notifying boards of education about pre-residential development property tax exemption applications filed under the new process.