Bills

AB 2216: Tenancy: common household pets.

  • Session Year: 2023-2024
  • House: Assembly

Current Status:

Failed

(2024-06-05: Referred to Com. on JUD.)

Introduced

First Committee Review

First Chamber

Second Committee Review

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:
Existing

(1)Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies. Existing law prohibits a landlord from, among other things, preventing a tenant from posting or displaying political signs, subject to specified exceptions.

Existing law, for purposes of specified housing development provisions, defines a common household pet as a domesticated animal, including a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation related to a landlords ability to prohibit common household pets in residential tenancies. prohibit a landlord, before the landlord has accepted a prospective tenants application for a dwelling unit, from asking the prospective tenant or otherwise inquiring into whether the prospective tenant plans to own or otherwise maintain a common household pet in the tenants dwelling unit. The bill would require a prospective tenant, no later than 72 hours before entering into a rental agreement, to inform the landlord if the prospective tenant plans to own or otherwise maintain a common household pet.

The bill would prohibit a landlord from preventing a tenant from owning or otherwise maintaining a common household pet without reasonable justification. The bill would provide that this provision does not limit or otherwise affect a landlords ability to impose reasonable conditions on household pets, and does not apply to a rental agreement that prohibits the ownership or otherwise maintenance of a common household pet that was entered into before January 1, 2025.

The bill would prohibit a landlord from imposing payment of a separate or additional rent by a tenant for the ownership or otherwise maintenance of a common household pet, and would provide that this provision does not apply to a rental agreement that authorizes a landlord to charge a separate or additional rent for the ownership or otherwise maintenance of a common household pet that was entered into before January 1, 2025. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.

(2)Existing law authorizes a landlord to hold security for any tenant who is a party to the lease or agreement, subject to specified requirements. Existing law defines security as any payment, fee, deposit, or charge that is imposed, as specified, to reimburse the landlord for costs associated with processing a new tenant or that is imposed as an advance payment of rent, used for any purpose, including the repair of damages to the premises, as specified.

This bill would specify that the purposes described above also include to repair damages caused by, or for other costs associated with, a common household pet, as defined, that is owned or otherwise maintained by a tenant in the premises.

Discussed in Hearing

Assembly Floor4MIN
May 23, 2024

Assembly Floor

Assembly Standing Committee on Judiciary19MIN
Apr 9, 2024

Assembly Standing Committee on Judiciary

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Bill Author

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