House File 554 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY MASCHER Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the termination of rental agreements including 2 retaliation against a tenant for receiving police or emergency 3 services and requiring good cause to terminate the rental of a 4 mobile home space. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 2313HH 81 7 kk/gg/14 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 received police or 1 4 emergency assistance in response to a family violence or 1 5 domestic abuse situation. 1 6 Sec. 2. Section 562B.10, subsection 4, Code 2005, is 1 7 amended to read as follows: 1 8 4. Rental agreements shall be for a term of one year 1 9 unless otherwise specified in the rental agreement. Rental 1 10 agreements shall be canceled by at least sixty days' written 1 11 notice given by either party. A notice to cancel under this 1 12 section initiated by the landlord shall be initiated only for 1 13 good cause. For purposes of this subsection, "good cause" 1 14 means a material noncompliance by the tenant with the rental 1 15 agreement, a violation of this chapter, or a legitimate 1 16 business reason. A landlord shall not cancel a rental 1 17 agreement solely for the purpose of making the tenant's mobile 1 18 home space available for another mobile home. 1 19 Sec. 3. Section 562B.32, subsection 1, Code 2005, is 1 20 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 1 21 NEW PARAGRAPH. cc. The tenant has received police or 1 22 emergency assistance in response to a family violence or 1 23 domestic abuse situation. 1 24 EXPLANATION 1 25 This bill relates to the termination of rental agreements 1 26 between landlords and tenants. The bill prohibits a landlord 1 27 from retaliating against a tenant of a dwelling unit or a 1 28 mobile home space by terminating a rental agreement, raising 1 29 rent, or decreasing services after the tenant has received 1 30 police or emergency services in response to a family violence 1 31 or domestic abuse situation. A tenant subjected to 1 32 retaliation by a landlord may file a civil action to recover 1 33 actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and possession of 1 34 the dwelling unit under Code chapter 562A or 562B. 1 35 The bill also provides that a landlord must have good cause 2 1 before terminating a mobile home space rental agreement. 2 2 "Good cause" is defined to mean a material noncompliance by 2 3 the tenant with the rental agreement, a violation of Code 2 4 chapter 562A or 562B, as applicable, or a legitimate business 2 5 reason. 2 6 LSB 2313HH 81 2 7 kk:nh/gg/14