HB 297 — LEASES: Expands early lease termination to include stalking and cyberstalking

HLSENROLLED 26RS-656 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

297 BYREPRESENTATIVESMANDIELANDRY,BAYHAM,BILLINGS,BOURRIAQUE, BOYD, BRYANT, GREEN, DANA HENRY, KERNER, LAFLEUR, TERRY LANDRY,LARVADAIN,LYONS,MCMAHEN,MOORE,MURRAY,NEWELL, SCHLEGEL, TAYLOR, TURNER, AND WALTERS LEASES:AN ACT ToamendandreenactR.S.9:3261.1(B)(2)and(6),(E)(introductoryparagraph)and(2),and (H), relative to leases;

Expands early lease termination to include stalking and cyberstalking AN ACT ToamendandreenactR.S.9:3261.1(B)(2)and(6),(E)(introductoryparagraph)and(2),and (H), relative to leases;

HLS 26RS-656 REENGROSSED HB NO.

297 ENROLLED Social Work (MSW) a licensed professional counselor, prosecuting attorney, or investigating law enforcement officer who has personal involvement in the investigation or prosecution of any criminal case relative to the domestic abuse or stalking or cyberstalking.

In order for a lessee to receive an earlyterminationasprovidedinearlytermination thisas Section,provided thein lesseethisSection,thelesseeshall shalldoall doof allofthefollowing:the following:

* * * (2) Provide to the lessor reasonable documentation that the lessee seeking an accommodation, or that lessee's household member, was a victim of an act of domestic abuse on the leased premises within the past thirtythirtydays. days.

If the stalking or cyberstalkingdidnotcyberstalkingdid occurontheleasedpremises,thelesseeshallnot provideawrittenoccurontheleasedpremises,thelesseeshallprovideawritten declaration on whyresiding on the leased premises maypose a threat to the victim's safety as provided by the certification in Subsection H of this Section.

HLS 26RS-656 REENGROSSED HB NO.

297 ENROLLED If the stalking or cyberstalking did not occur on the leased premises, the reasons why continuing to reside on the leased premises may pose a threat to the victim's safety.

HLS 26RS-656 REENGROSSED HB NO.

297 ENROLLED (Organization name) (Printed address) * * * DIGESTSPEAKER ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeOF Services.THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

ItPage constitutes4 nopart of the4 legislativeCODING: instrument.

The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.

[R.S.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 297 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Mandie Landry Abstract:

Permits termination of a lease for stalking and cyberstalking.

Present law defines "domestic abuse" as domestic abuse battery as defined in present law (R.S.

14:35.3) provided that the domestic abuse was committed on the leased premises.

Proposed law expands the definition of "domestic abuse" to include stalking and cyberstalking as defined in present law (R.S.

14:40.2 and 14.40.3).

Present law defines "qualified third party" as the executive director, program director, or another employee of a community-based shelter contracted with the Dept.

of Children and Family Services (DCFS), provided the employee is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or possesses a masters degree in Social Work (MSW).

Proposed law removes the requirement for the employee of a community-based shelter contracted with DCFS to possess a masters degree in Social Work (MSW).

Proposed law also adds the following to the "qualified third party" list if the party has personalinvolvementin the investigation or prosecution of anycriminal caserelative to the domestic abuse or stalking or cyberstalking:

(1) A licensed professional counselor.

(2) Prosecuting attorney.

(3) Investigating law enforcement officer.

Present law provides that only a lessee or a household member of the lessee's residential dwelling be considereda domestic abuse victim and provides the requiredprocess in which a lessee may obtain an early lease termination.

One of the requirements is to provide reasonable documentation of the domestic abuse that occurred on the premises within 30 days.

Proposed law retains present law but permits a domestic abuse victim to provide a declaration on the Certification of Domestic Abuse form, even if the stalking or cyberstalking did not occur on the leased premises, on why residing on the premises may pose a threat to the victim's safety.

Present law provides for the Certification of Domestic Abuse form.

Proposed law retains present law and adds stalking and cyberstalking to the form.

(Amends R.S.

9:3261.1(B)(2) and (6), (E)(intro.

para.) and (2), and (H)) Page 4 of 4 CODING: