SB 431 establishes the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act to regulate online platforms that connect renters with property owners in the state. The bill requires these platforms, along with their affiliates, to secure reimbursement insurance policies that cover their financial obligations to users if they fail to honor their guarantee contracts. This insurance ensures that if a platform defaults on a promise to reimburse a renter for damages, an authorized insurance company will step in to pay the owed amount. The legislation also mandates that these guarantees clearly state they are not insurance contracts and outlines specific rules for how the insurance policies can be terminated. Ultimately, the law aims to protect consumers by ensuring there is a reliable financial backstop for rental disputes handled through digital marketplaces.
To amend sections 3767.01, 3767.05, 4301.74, 5321.02, and 5747.98 and to enact sections 5321.172 and 5747.35 of the Revised Code to allow a tenant to terminate a rental agreement if the tenant is a victim of a specified crime, to authorize an income tax credit for landlords who rented to such tenants, and to name this act the Ohio Safe Homes Act.
This bill is a symbolic resolution that expresses the Ohio House of Representatives' intent to affirm a set of tenant rights already protected by existing state laws. It outlines seven specific protections, including fair application processes, clear lease terms, freedom from discrimination, safe housing conditions, reasonable rent, the right to organize, and safeguards against unfair evictions. By restating these legal standards in plain language, the measure aims to highlight the state's commitment to fair housing practices. The resolution does not create new laws or change current regulations but serves to publicly acknowledge and support the rights tenants already possess under Ohio Revised Code.
To amend sections 319.302, 323.152, 323.153, 323.156, 323.158, 5747.85, and 5747.98 and to enact section 5747.25 of the Revised Code to modify property tax reductions for nonbusiness and owner-occupied property, to authorize a refundable income tax credit for renters, and to name this act the Ohio Homeowner Relief Act
This bill creates the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act to regulate how online rental platforms handle guarantees for renters. It defines rental home marketplaces as platforms that connect property owners with renters and requires these platforms to back their guarantees with reimbursement insurance policies if they fail to perform. The law mandates that providers must make guarantee terms available online and include clear statements on their contracts explaining that the guarantee is not an insurance contract but is backed by insurance. Additionally, the bill establishes that if a provider cannot fulfill a guarantee within 180 days after a claim is filed, renters can claim directly from the insurance company. The legislation applies to consumer transactions involving these platforms and clarifies that providers are not considered insurance companies under state law.
To amend section 5321.04 and to enact sections 5321.041 and 5321.042 of the Revised Code to require landlords to notify tenants of rent defaults prior to commencing evictions.
To amend sections 120.521, 120.53, 1923.06, 1923.08, 3735.41, and 5321.17 and to enact sections 120.531 and 120.532 of the Revised Code to provide counsel to destitute defendants facing eviction and to make an appropriation.
To amend sections 3742.01, 3742.03, 3742.39, 3742.50, 5747.08, 5747.26, 5747.50, 5747.502, 5747.51, 5747.53, and 5747.98 and to enact sections 3742.47 and 5747.504 of the Revised Code to revise the law governing lead testing, certification, and tax credits.
HB 135 prohibits landlords and housing providers in Ohio from refusing to rent to tenants based on their lawful source of income, such as government benefits (e.g., SNAP, housing vouchers), retirement pay, or student loans. It directly affects landlords, property managers, and housing authorities by adding "lawful source of income" to the list of protected classes under housing law, alongside existing protections for race, disability, and other characteristics. The bill amends Ohio Revised Code to define "housing accommodations" broadly and explicitly ban discrimination in rental decisions based on how tenants legally earn or receive money. This change aims to prevent housing denial for people using public assistance or alternative income sources.
To amend sections 131.02, 319.202, 715.013, 4303.26, 5703.052, 5703.053, 5703.19, 5703.263, 5703.50, 5703.70, 5703.77, 5703.90, 5725.26, and 5751.051 and to enact sections 5747.081, 5755.01, 5755.011, 5755.02, 5755.03, 5755.04, 5755.05, 5755.051, 5755.052, 5755.06, 5755.07, and 5755.99 of the Revised Code to levy a tax on certain high-volume landlords.
