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HB1981

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; access to dwelling unit during certain emergencies.

Status:
Passed

Chief Patron:
Betsy Carr (D)

Session:
2021 Regular Session

Summary

As Passed Both Chambers. Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; access to dwelling unit during certain declared states of emergency.

Provides that a tenant shall be deemed to have reasonable justification for declining to permit a landlord or managing agent to exhibit the tenant's dwelling unit for sale or lease if the tenant has reasonable concern for his own health, or the health of any authorized occupant, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat and the tenant has provided written notice to the landlord informing the landlord of such concern. The bill requires the tenant in such circumstances to provide to the landlord or managing agent a video tour of the dwelling unit or other acceptable substitute for exhibiting the dwelling unit for sale or lease. The bill also provides that during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat a tenant may provide written notice to the landlord requesting that one or more nonemergency property conditions in the dwelling unit not be addressed in the normal course of business of the landlord due to such communicable disease of public health threat. The bill provides that in such case the tenant shall be deemed to have waived any and all claims and rights under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act against the landlord for failure to address such nonemergency property conditions. Lastly, the bill provides that in the case of a tenant who has provided notice that he does not want nonemergency repairs made during the state of emergency due to a communicable disease of public health threat, the landlord may nonetheless enter the dwelling unit, provided that the employees and agents sent by the landlord are wearing all appropriate and reasonable personal protective equipment as required by state law, (i) to do nonemergency repairs and maintenance with at least seven days' written notice to the tenant and at a time consented to by the tenant, no more than once every six months, and (ii) if the landlord is required to conduct maintenance or an inspection pursuant to the agreement for the loan or insurance policy that covers the dwelling units. (Less)

  • Bill History

  • 01/11/2021 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed with emergency clause; offered 01/13/21 21102398D
  • 01/11/2021 - House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
  • 01/17/2021 - House: Assigned GL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
  • 01/18/2021 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB1981)
  • 01/21/2021 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
  • 01/26/2021 - House: Reported from General Laws (13-Y 9-N)
  • 01/27/2021 - House: Read first time
  • 01/28/2021 - House: Passed by for the day
  • 01/29/2021 - House: Read second time
  • 01/29/2021 - House: Amendments by Delegate Simon agreed to
  • 01/29/2021 - House: Emergency clause deleted
  • 01/29/2021 - House: Engrossed by House as amended HB1981E
  • 01/29/2021 - House: Printed as engrossed 21102398D-E
  • 02/01/2021 - House: Read third time and passed House (55-Y 45-N)
  • 02/01/2021 - House: VOTE: Passage (55-Y 45-N)   Close Floor Vote
  • 02/02/2021 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
  • 02/02/2021 - Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
  • 02/04/2021 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB1981E)
  • 02/05/2021 - Senate: Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)
  • 02/10/2021 - Senate: Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
  • 02/10/2021 - Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments (14-Y 0-N)
  • 02/12/2021 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
  • 02/15/2021 - Senate: Read third time
  • 02/15/2021 - Senate: Reading of amendments waived
  • 02/15/2021 - Senate: Committee amendments agreed to
  • 02/15/2021 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended
  • 02/15/2021 - Senate: Passed Senate with amendments (27-Y 12-N)
  • 02/17/2021 - House: Placed on Calendar
  • 02/17/2021 - House: Senate amendments agreed to by House (55-Y 44-N)
  • 02/17/2021 - House: VOTE: Adoption (55-Y 44-N)   Close Floor Vote
  • 02/17/2021 - House: Reconsideration of Senate amendments agreed to by House
  • 02/17/2021 - House: Senate amendments agreed to by House (55-Y 44-N)
  • 02/17/2021 - House: VOTE: Adoption #2 (55-Y 44-N)   Close Floor Vote
  • 02/22/2021 - House: Enrolled
  • 02/22/2021 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1981ER)
  • 02/22/2021 - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB1981ER)
  • 02/22/2021 - Senate: Signed by President
  • 02/24/2021 - House: Signed by Speaker
  • 02/25/2021 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on February 25, 2021
  • 02/25/2021 - Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
  • 03/30/2021 - Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 409 (effective 7/1/21)
  • 03/30/2021 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0409)

Full text and vote history:

Virginia Legislative Information System

RichmondSunlight.com

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