SF 2146 — A bill for an act relating to the responsibility and liability of property owners for public places in cities, prohibiting fines, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

Senate File 2146 - IntroducedReprinted SENATE FILE 2146 BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1118) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate March 2, 2026) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the responsibility and liability of property owners for public places in cities, prohibiting fines, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

TLSBSF 2119SV2146 (2)(3) 91 ms/jsms/js/mb S.F.

If the abutting property owner does not perform an action required under this subsection within a reasonable time, a citySF LSB2146 2119SV(3) (2) 91 -1- ms/jsms/js/mb 1/31/2 S.F.

2146 city may perform the required action and assess only the material andcosts, direct labor costscosts, associatedand withan aadministrative violationfee ofnot paragraphto “b”exceed ortwenty “c”dollars against the abutting property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax.

TheA city shall not assess additionala finesfine whenagainst assessingan theabutting costsproperty againstowner thefor abuttingfailure propertyto owner.comply with paragraph “b” or “c”.

ThisA powercity doesshall not relieveassess costs or fees under this paragraph unless the city has provided the abutting property owner with notice of liabilitythe imposedviolation underand paragraphan “b”.opportunity to appeal or demonstrate hardship pursuant to a process established by ordinance.

This power paragraph does not relieve the abutting property owner of liability imposed under paragraph “b” or “c”.

EXPLANATIONSF the2146 explanation’s(3) substance91 by-2- thems/js/mb members2/2 of the general assembly.h This bill relates to the responsibility and liability of an abutting property owner for public places in a city such as sidewalks.

Under current law, an abutting property owner may be required by a city ordinance to remove natural accumulations of snow and ice within a reasonable time and maintain public sidewalks or other property between the property line and the curb line.

The bill adds that an abutting property owner may be liable if the property owner fails to use reasonable care in maintaining sidewalks or other property between the property line and the curb line if required by a city ordinance.

The bill prohibits a city from assessing a fine against an abutting property owner for failure to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks within a reasonable amount of time and for failure to maintain all property from the property line to the curb.

Under current law, if the abutting property owner does not perform an action required under Code section 364.12(2), within a reasonable time, a city may perform the required action and assess the costs against the abutting property for collection in the same manner as a property tax.

The bill provides that a city may assess only material and direct labor costs against the abutting property owner if the city performs an action LSB 2119SV (2) 91 -2- ms/js 2/3 S.F.

2146 required under Code section 364.12(2)(b) or (c).

The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies retroactively to June 13, 2024.

LSB 2119SV (2) 91 -3- ms/js 3/3