Housing

HB 931 clarifies that developing single-family or multifamily residential housing can be considered a commercial purpose for leasing state trust land. The bill specifically allows nonprofit corporations to lease state trust land to develop "attainable workforce housing." It revises the definition of "commercial purpose" within state law to include such residential developments under a master lease. This change aims to enable the creation of housing for workers on state-owned land.

SB 133 revises the laws governing impact fees that local governments charge on new development. The bill removes the ability for governmental entities to include an administrative fee within impact charges and limits impact fee increases to the rate of inflation. It also updates definitions related to these fees and details the required documentation for their calculation, such as a service area report.

SB 149 revises laws regarding emotional support animals (ESAs) in housing, affecting tenants with disabilities and landlords. The bill allows landlords to request specific documentation from a licensed health care practitioner if a tenant's need for an ESA is not readily apparent. This documentation must come from a practitioner with an established client-provider relationship who has conducted a clinical evaluation and identified the specific therapeutic support the animal provides. The bill also clarifies that ESA registration cards alone are not sufficient proof and holds tenants liable for damages caused by their emotional support animals.