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Subcommittee sends tenant broadband fee bill to Housing Commission after heated testimony
Summary
House Bill 17‑09, which would prohibit lease provisions forcing tenants to accept and pay for specific broadband/cable providers and require clearer disclosure and an opt‑out, was laid on the table and referred to the Housing Commission after substantial testimony for and against; the transcript records the motion as carried by vote of 8–0.
House Bill 17‑09, sponsored by Delegate Gardner, would bar lease provisions that require tenants to select or pay for specific cable, broadband, satellite or related services, require landlords to disclose those fees clearly, and give tenants an opportunity to opt out.
The subcommittee heard extensive public testimony. Michael Pruitt of Housing Opportunities Made Equal said the bill "moderniz[es] existing regulation" and that bulk‑billing arrangements can harm consumer choice. Christy Marrow of the Virginia Poverty Law Center said tenants were being forced to pay "$60, $70, $80 a month for broadband service that they do not need" because of lease renewal practices; Gustavo Espinosa of the Legal Aid Justice Center testified in support and called the in‑building monopoly model "blatantly anti free market."
Opponents included Bismar Ahmed of the Apartment and Office Building Association and the Virginia Apartment Management Association, who said fees already must be disclosed and warned the bill’s language could undermine bulk service agreements that can reduce costs in some markets. Ray Lam of the Broadband Association of Virginia and Jeff Palmer of the Virginia Broadband Industry Association urged further study and suggested referral to a work group or advisory council.
After sustained debate and several proponents and opponents spoke, the subcommittee voted to "lay this bill gently on the table and send it to the Housing Commission" so existing work groups could review the topic; the clerk recorded the bill as laid on the table by a vote of 8 to 0 in the transcript. The sponsor said she preferred referral to the Housing Commission.
