From Holland & Knight LLP:
Highlighted are some of the legislative successes relating to the Tennessee Apartment Association:
- SB2282/HB2306- Childcare Facilities in Apartments: Defeated SB2282/HB2306, sponsored by Sen. Richard Briggs and Rep. Michele Carringer, which prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent, refusing to negotiate the rental of, or otherwise making unavailable for rent to a current or prospective tenant a single-family or multifamily dwelling zoned for residential use, because the tenant operates or plans to operate a licensed child care home at the dwelling.
- SB1693/HB1703- Landlord Registry: Defeated SB1693/HB1703, sponsored by Sen. Page Walley and Rep. Rush Bricken, which requires corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships that purchase or acquire residential rental property in this state to register the property with the Secretary of State.
- SB1601/HB1501- Municipal REIT Registry: Defeated SB1601/HB1501, sponsored by Sen. Ferrell Haile and Leader William Lamberth, authorizes a municipality to create and require the use of a landlord registry for a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, or finances 10 or more dwelling units located within the municipality.
- SB2126/HB1777-Elimination of REIT Tax Exemption: Defeated SB2126/HB1777, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. Tom Leatherwood, which removes certain exemptions and deductions from net income for real estate investment trusts (REITs), partnership persons or taxpayers directly or indirectly owned by a public REIT, or persons who directly or indirectly distribute 100 percent of their net earnings or net losses to a public REIT, for purposes of calculating excise tax liabilities. The legislation also requires any two or more rental units that are owned by an REIT and leased or available for lease to be classified as commercial property for tax assessment purposes.
- SB2628/HB2346- Fair Background Check and Due Process Act: Defeated SB2628/HB2346, sponsored by Sen. Sara Kyle and Rep. Torrey Harris, prohibits a consumer reporting agency from reporting any arrest, charge, indictment, or criminal case that has not resulted in a conviction to an employer, landlord, or licensing agency unless the charge is an offense involving theft, fraud, financial crimes, embezzlement, forgery, murder or attempted murder, aggravated homicide-related offenses, or violent conduct directly related to job safety. A consumer reporting agency must only report charges resulting in a guilty verdict or a plea of guilty
- SB2506/HB2235- Fair Chance Housing Act: Defeated SB2506/HB2235, sponsored by Sen. Charlane Oliver and Rep. Vincent Dixie, which classifies various actions taken by a landlord as discriminatory practices including refusing to rent, lease, sell, or otherwise make unavailable any dwelling to any person solely because of that person's criminal history.