SB 54 — AN ACT CONCERNING A LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO REVIEW CRIMINAL RECORDS RELATING TO A PROSPECTIVE TENANT.

General Assembly ProposedCommittee Bill No.

12805019 Referred to Committee on HOUSING Introduced by:

SEN.(HSG) AN ACT CONCERNING A LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO REVIEW CRIMINAL RECORDS RELATING TO A PROSPECTIVE TENANT.

LOONEY, 11th Dist.

AN ACT CONCERNING A LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO REVIEW CRIMINAL RECORDS RELATING TO A PROSPECTIVE TENANT.

ThatSection section1. 8-37u of the general statutes be amended to require the Commissioner of Housing to establish a limited criminal records look- back period that a landlord may use when evaluating the housing application of a prospective tenant.

Statement(NEW) (Effective October 1, 2019) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Commissioner of Purpose:Housing shall, by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, establish a limited time period, immediately preceding a rental application, during which a landlord, as defined in section 47a-1 of the general statutes, may consider the criminal record of a prospective tenant, as defined in section 47a-1 of the general statutes, to evaluate the housing application of such prospective tenant.

ToSec. lower barriers to finding adequate housing for individuals with prior criminal convictions.

2.

Section 8-45a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

A housing authority, as defined in subsection (b) of section 8-39, in determining eligibility for the rental of public housing units, may establish criteria and consider relevant information concerning (1) an applicant's or any proposed occupant's history of criminal activity, during the time period established by the Commissioner of Housing in LCO No.

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54 regulations adopted under section 1 of this act, involving:

(A) Crimes of physical violence to persons or property, (B) crimes involving the illegal manufacture, sale, distribution or use of, or possession with intent to manufacture, sell, use or distribute, a controlled substance, as defined in section 21a-240, or (C) other criminal acts which would adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of other tenants, (2) an applicant's or any proposed occupant's abuse, or pattern of abuse, of alcohol when the housing authority has reasonable cause to believe that such applicant's or proposed occupant's abuse, or pattern of abuse, of alcohol may interfere with the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents, and (3) an applicant or any proposed occupant who is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under section 54-252 on account of being convicted or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect of a sexually violent offense.

In evaluating any such information, the housing authority shall give consideration to the time, nature and extent of the applicant's or proposed occupant's conduct and to factors which might indicate a reasonable probability of favorable future conduct, such as evidence of rehabilitation and evidence of the willingness of the applicant, the applicant's family or the proposed occupant to participate in social service or other appropriate counseling programs and the availability of such programs.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2019 New section Sec.

2 October 1, 2019 8-45a Statement of Purpose:

To assist individuals with prior criminal convictions to find adequate housing.

except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] SEN.

LOONEY, 11th Dist.

Co-Sponsors:

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54 S.B.

54 LCO No.

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