Committee OKs shorter hold period for tenant property after evictions

House Bill 1079, a narrow amendment to landlord-tenant law, was amended and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 10-0 vote after testimony from property managers and committee discussion.

Representative Zimmerman introduced the bill, saying the current statute requires landlords to store property removed during an ejectment for 90 days and that “that 90 day period that's in law is the longest in the country.” Zimmerman described the bill as lowering the statutory hold period toward the national average; the introduced version would have moved the period to 30 days, but the committee adopted an amendment to set the period at 45 days.

The bill drew brief testimony from Christopher Lee of the Apartment Association, who said, “I rise in support of this bill,” and later, “we're the longest in the country at 90 days.” Lee told the committee that locating and paying for storage is a burden for members and that property left unclaimed after 30 days is unlikely to be retrieved; he expressed support for the amended 45-day period.

No quantitative savings estimates were offered during testimony. When asked whether the Apartment Association had data about how often tenants return for property after a specified period, Lee said he did not have that data.

The amendment that changed the proposed period to 45 days was taken by consent. The committee passed the amended bill on a voice roll call recorded as 10 to 0 in favor.

The committee record shows only a brief discussion and a single witness in support; no amendments changing other substantive provisions of ejectment or storage procedure were adopted during the hearing. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process with the amended 45-day hold period.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 1079 (amended to 45 days) — Committee action: amended and approved, roll call recorded as 10-0.