Bill Summary

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; access to dwelling unit during certain declared states of emergency. Provides that a tenant shall be deemed to have reasonable justification for declining to permit a landlord or managing agent to exhibit the tenant’s dwelling unit for sale or lease if the tenant has reasonable concern for his own health, or the health of any authorized occupant, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat and the tenant has provided written notice to the landlord informing the landlord of such concern. The bill requires the tenant in such circumstances to provide to the landlord or managing agent a video tour of the dwelling unit or other acceptable substitute for exhibiting the dwelling unit for sale or lease. The bill also provides that during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat a tenant may provide written notice to the landlord requesting that one or more nonemergency property conditions in the dwelling unit not be addressed in the normal course of business of the landlord due to such communicable disease of public health threat. The bill provides that in such case the tenant shall be deemed to have waived any and all claims and rights under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act against the landlord for failure to address such nonemergency property conditions. Lastly, the bill provides that in the case of a tenant who has provided notice that he does not want nonemergency repairs made during the state of emergency due to a communicable disease of public health threat, the landlord may nonetheless enter the dwelling unit, provided that the employees and agents sent by the landlord are wearing all appropriate and reasonable personal protective equipment as required by state law, (i) to do nonemergency repairs and maintenance with at least seven days’ written notice to the tenant and at a time consented to by the tenant, no more than once every six months, and (ii) if the landlord is required to conduct maintenance or an inspection pursuant to the agreement for the loan or insurance policy that covers the dwelling units. Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; access to dwelling unit during certain declared states of emergency. Provides that a tenant shall be deemed to have reasonable justification for declining to permit a landlord or managing agent to exhibit the tenant’s dwelling unit for sale or lease if the tenant has reasonable concern for his own health, or the health of any authorized occupant, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat and the tenant has provided written notice to the landlord informing the landlord of such concern. The bill requires the tenant in such circumstances to provide to the landlord or managing agent a video tour of the dwelling unit or other acceptable substitute for exhibiting the dwelling unit for sale or lease. The bill also provides that during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat a tenant may provide written notice to the landlord requesting that one or more nonemergency property conditions in the dwelling unit not be addressed in the normal course of business of the landlord due to such communicable disease of public health threat. The bill provides that in such case the tenant shall be deemed to have waived any and all claims and rights under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act against the landlord for failure to address such nonemergency property conditions. Lastly, the bill provides that in the case of a tenant who has provided notice that he does not want nonemergency repairs made during the state of emergency due to a communicable disease of public health threat, the landlord may nonetheless enter the dwelling unit, provided that the employees and agents sent by the landlord are wearing all appropriate and reasonable personal protective equipment as required by state law, (i) to do nonemergency repairs and maintenance with at least seven days’ written notice to the tenant and at a time consented to by the tenant, no more than once every six months, and (ii) if the landlord is required to conduct maintenance or an inspection pursuant to the agreement for the loan or insurance policy that covers the dwelling units.

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Status

Became Law

Votes

Date Action Vote Document
2021-01-21House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)Yea: 7 No: 0 Other: 1Document
2021-01-26House: Reported from General Laws (13-Y 9-N)Yea: 13 No: 9 Other: 0Document
2021-02-01House: VOTE: Passage (55-Y 45-N)Yea: 55 No: 45 Other: 0Document
2021-02-05Senate: Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)Yea: 14 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2021-02-10Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments (14-Y 0-N)Yea: 14 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2021-02-12Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)Yea: 39 No: 0 Other: 0Document
2021-02-15Senate: Passed Senate with amendments (27-Y 12-N)Yea: 27 No: 12 Other: 0Document
2021-02-17House: VOTE: Adoption (55-Y 44-N)Yea: 55 No: 44 Other: 1Document
2021-02-17House: VOTE: Adoption #2 (55-Y 44-N)Yea: 55 No: 44 Other: 1Document

Amendments

no data available at this time.

Bill History

Date Action
2021-03-30Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0409)
2021-03-30Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 409 (effective 7/1/21)
2021-02-25Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
2021-02-25Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on February 25, 2021
2021-02-24Signed by Speaker
2021-02-22Signed by President
2021-02-22Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1981ER)
2021-02-22Enrolled
2021-02-17VOTE: Adoption #2 (55-Y 44-N)
2021-02-17Senate amendments agreed to by House (55-Y 44-N)
2021-02-17Reconsideration of Senate amendments agreed to by House
2021-02-17VOTE: Adoption (55-Y 44-N)
2021-02-17Senate amendments agreed to by House (55-Y 44-N)
2021-02-17Placed on Calendar
2021-02-15Passed Senate with amendments (27-Y 12-N)
2021-02-15Engrossed by Senate as amended
2021-02-15Committee amendments agreed to
2021-02-15Reading of amendments waived
2021-02-15Read third time
2021-02-12Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
2021-02-10Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments (14-Y 0-N)
2021-02-05Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)
2021-02-02Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
2021-02-02Constitutional reading dispensed
2021-02-01VOTE: Passage (55-Y 45-N)
2021-02-01Read third time and passed House (55-Y 45-N)
2021-01-29Printed as engrossed 21102398D-E
2021-01-29Engrossed by House as amended HB1981E
2021-01-29Emergency clause deleted
2021-01-29Amendments by Delegate Simon agreed to
2021-01-29Read second time
2021-01-28Passed by for the day
2021-01-27Read first time
2021-01-26Reported from General Laws (13-Y 9-N)
2021-01-21Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
2021-01-17Assigned GL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
2021-01-11Referred to Committee on General Laws
2021-01-11Prefiled and ordered printed with emergency clause; offered 01/13/21 21102398D

Sponsors

Name District
Betsy CarrHD-069
Mark LevineHD-045
Marcia PriceHD-095