Housing (Tenant Rights)

SB 100, the Kansas Fair Chance Housing and Homelessness Reduction Act, limits how landlords and consumer reporting agencies can use past evictions and unpaid rent when screening rental applicants. The bill prohibits consumer reporting agencies from sharing eviction or rental arrears information after three years and bans landlords from denying housing or increasing rent based on such history beyond that point. It also requires consumer reporting agencies to give applicants a chance to explain any eviction or unpaid rent record. This law directly affects renters with past housing issues and landlords who rely on rental history for tenant screening.

HB 2099 allows cities and counties in Kansas to require periodic interior inspections of privately owned residential rental properties where the owner receives government rental subsidies, such as Section 8 vouchers. This directly affects landlords receiving these subsidies, who must now allow inspections for code compliance, and tenants, who must receive reasonable notice of inspection dates. The bill requires local governments to notify tenants before inspections and permits random inspections in response to code violation complaints. It repeals the existing prohibition on routine inspections for unsubsidized housing, creating a specific exception for subsidized properties.