HB469: prohibiting discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings.

HB 469-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-0545

04/08

HOUSE BILL 469-FN

AN ACT prohibiting discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings.

SPONSORS: Rep. Kenney, Straf. 10; Rep. M. Smith, Straf. 10; Rep. M. Murray, Hills. 37; Rep. Chretien, Hills. 41; Rep. Horrigan, Straf. 10; Rep. Vogt, Rock. 21; Rep. Howland, Straf. 20; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill prohibits discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0545

04/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT prohibiting discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Paragraph; Unlawful Discriminatory Practices; State Commission for Human Rights. Amend RSA 354-A:10 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraph:

I-a. To refuse to rent or otherwise make unavailable, or deny a dwelling to any prospective tenant on the basis that he or she is a participant in the Housing Choice Voucher Program operated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1437f, provided that no person shall be deemed to have violated this paragraph if the reason for denying the prospective tenant, or making the dwelling unavailable, is:

(a) The rent charged for the dwelling is above that which the housing authority which administers the voucher can lawfully approve, and the rent charged for the dwelling unit is the same as the landlord charges tenants for a comparable unit in the same building or housing development; or

(b) The housing authority determines that the dwelling fails to meet the Housing Quality Standards promulgated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as codified in 24 C.F.R. section 982.401.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

LBA

23-0545

1/3/23

HB 469-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT prohibiting discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill prohibits discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings. The New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights indicates this bill seeks to expand RSA 354-A:10 I-a to include Housing Choice Voucher holders as a protected class. The Commission states the fiscal impact is indeterminable because it is unknown how many new cases may result from the bill. Therefore, the Commission has no information at present to determine if additional resources or staff will be needed.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights