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Senate Study Bill 3178 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the authority of counties and cities to
2regulate rental housing, and including effective date
3provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 331.304, Code 2020, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A county shall not adopt or enforce
4an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
5sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
6to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
7to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because
8of the person’s source of income used to pay rent, including
9a federal housing choice voucher issued by the United States
10department of housing and urban development. Such an ordinance
11or regulation adopted prior to the effective date of this Act
12is void and unenforceable on and after the effective date of
13this Act. For purposes of this subsection, “dwelling unit”
14means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
15 Sec. 2. Section 364.3, Code 2020, is amended by adding the
16following new subsection:
17 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A city shall not adopt or enforce
18an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
19sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
20to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
21to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because
22of the person’s source of income used to pay rent, including
23a federal housing choice voucher issued by the United States
24department of housing and urban development. Such an ordinance
25or regulation adopted prior to the effective date of this Act
26is void and unenforceable on and after the effective date of
27this Act. For purposes of this subsection, “dwelling unit”
28means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
29 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
30importance, takes effect upon enactment.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the authority of counties and cities
35to regulate rental housing. The bill prohibits a county or
-1-1city from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation
2that prohibits a person who has the right to lease, sublease,
3or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing to lease or rent
4out the dwelling unit to a person because of the person’s
5source of income used to pay rent, including a federal housing
6choice voucher issued by the United States department of
7housing and urban development. Such an ordinance or regulation
8adopted prior to the effective date of the bill is void and
9unenforceable on and after the effective date of the bill. For
10purposes of the bill, “dwelling unit” means a structure or
11the part of a structure that is used as a home, residence, or
12sleeping place.
-2-js/ns
2regulate rental housing, and including effective date
3provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 331.304, Code 2020, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A county shall not adopt or enforce
4an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
5sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
6to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
7to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because
8of the person’s source of income used to pay rent, including
9a federal housing choice voucher issued by the United States
10department of housing and urban development. Such an ordinance
11or regulation adopted prior to the effective date of this Act
12is void and unenforceable on and after the effective date of
13this Act. For purposes of this subsection, “dwelling unit”
14means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
15 Sec. 2. Section 364.3, Code 2020, is amended by adding the
16following new subsection:
17 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. A city shall not adopt or enforce
18an ordinance or regulation that prohibits an owner, lessor,
19sublessor, managing agent, or other person having the right
20to lease, sublease, or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing
21to lease or rent out the dwelling unit to a person because
22of the person’s source of income used to pay rent, including
23a federal housing choice voucher issued by the United States
24department of housing and urban development. Such an ordinance
25or regulation adopted prior to the effective date of this Act
26is void and unenforceable on and after the effective date of
27this Act. For purposes of this subsection, “dwelling unit”
28means the same as defined in section 562A.6.
29 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
30importance, takes effect upon enactment.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the authority of counties and cities
35to regulate rental housing. The bill prohibits a county or
-1-1city from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation
2that prohibits a person who has the right to lease, sublease,
3or rent out a dwelling unit from refusing to lease or rent
4out the dwelling unit to a person because of the person’s
5source of income used to pay rent, including a federal housing
6choice voucher issued by the United States department of
7housing and urban development. Such an ordinance or regulation
8adopted prior to the effective date of the bill is void and
9unenforceable on and after the effective date of the bill. For
10purposes of the bill, “dwelling unit” means a structure or
11the part of a structure that is used as a home, residence, or
12sleeping place.
-2-js/ns