Committee reviews major changes to landlord‑tenant law, including expedited ejectments and security‑deposit cap

The Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs committee on April 3 conducted a section‑by‑section review of the House 'as‑passed' landlord‑tenant bill, focusing on ejectment procedures, grounds for termination, disposal of tenant property after writs of possession, trespass orders, a rental‑payment reporting pilot, and a state cap on security deposits.

Cameron Wood of the Office of Legislative Counsel briefed the committee on the bill’s provenance and the substantive changes incorporated from House committees. Wood said the package creates a new ejectment subchapter that, for a subset of terminations (notably subsection b2 for activity that threatens the health or safety of others), imposes expedited timelines for hearings and judgments modeled on current unlawful‑occupant law.

Key provisions and committee concerns

- Expedited ejectment and timelines: Under the new subchapter, courts would be required to set a final hearing within 90 days after a complaint is filed (absent good cause) in some circumstances, and an expedited hearing tied to b2 terminations would generally be scheduled within 21 days of a motion. If a writ of possession issues, the bill’s expedited schedule…