House File 361 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  FORD


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act prohibiting a landlord under Iowa's residential landlord=
  2    tenant law from retaliating against a tenant for summoning or
  3    receiving police or emergency assistance in response to a
  4    family violence or domestic abuse situation.
  5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  6 TLSB 2506HH 81
  7 rh/sh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 562A.36, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
  1  2 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
  1  3    NEW PARAGRAPH.  d.  The tenant has summoned or received
  1  4 police or emergency assistance in response to a family
  1  5 violence or domestic abuse situation.
  1  6    Sec. 2.  Section 562B.32, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
  1  7 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
  1  8    NEW PARAGRAPH.  cc.  The tenant has summoned or received
  1  9 police or emergency assistance in response to a family
  1 10 violence or domestic abuse situation.
  1 11                           EXPLANATION
  1 12    This bill relates to residential landlord=tenant law, by
  1 13 making certain changes related to family violence and domestic
  1 14 abuse.
  1 15    The bill provides that a landlord under Code chapter 562A
  1 16 (uniform residential landlord=tenant law) or Code chapter 562B
  1 17 (mobile home parks residential landlord=tenant law) may not
  1 18 retaliate against a tenant by increasing rent, decreasing
  1 19 services, or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for
  1 20 possession after the tenant has summoned or received police or
  1 21 emergency assistance in response to a family violence or
  1 22 domestic abuse situation.  If a landlord acts in violation of
  1 23 this bill, a tenant's remedies may include the recovery of
  1 24 actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and possession of
  1 25 the dwelling under Code chapter 562A or 562B.
  1 26 LSB 2506HH 81
  1 27 rh:nh/sh/8