Legislative Update: Big Wins at the General Assembly!

Last night, we received our first big win of the year at the North Carolina General Assembly as H.880: “Landlord/Tenant Changes” passed the House by a vote of 111-3.  The bill, which was sponsored by Reps. Hardister, Ross, Richardson and Hunter, includes a number of changes to Landlord-Tenant Law including provisions on tenant criminal record screening, clarifications of rights of collection of property in small estates, debt collection clarifications, and a new provision on post judgement satisfaction agreements in evictions.  The bill now moves to the Senate for approval.

This morning, we received more good news as H.796: “Emotional Support Animals-Rental Units” passed the House by a vote of 115-1.  The bill, which was sponsored by Reps. Grange, Szoka, Hardister, and Turner, will for the first time establish rules related to the use of emotional support animals in apartments by creating a clear certification process for the animals, rules for landlords and tenants related to their use, and strong penalties for anyone who misrepresent their need for an animal.  The bill now moves to the Senate for approval, and if passed, will become one of the most stringent laws in the country on this issue.