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Assembly passes law requiring landlords to notify tenants of bed‑bug infestations within 24 hours
Summary
Lawmakers approved a bill requiring landlords to send written notice to all tenants within 24 hours of becoming aware of a bed‑bug infestation; debate centered on what qualifies as written notice, timing during holidays or Sabbath, tenant cooperation and whether the bill creates new landlord liabilities.
The Assembly passed a bill that requires landlords of residential premises to provide written notice to all tenants and lessees on a property within 24 hours of having knowledge of a bed‑bug infestation.
Sponsor Miss Jackson said the measure is intended to be a simple consumer‑protection and neighborly‑notice requirement; she told colleagues the goal is to alert residents quickly so they can take mitigation steps. The bill defines the notice requirement as written and said written can include posted notices, email or texts; the sponsor said voicemail would not qualify because it is not written.
Members raised practical questions: whether the duty attaches to the owner or the managing agent, how notice timing should be measured (date of mailing vs. receipt), whether tenants have an obligation to report infestations and whether the 24‑hour requirement impinges on religious observance or creates an implied obligation to remediate. The sponsor said the bill does not create a private right to sue for damages; its aim is awareness and prompt action.
Supporters emphasized public‑health and community considerations; critics said the requirement could impose additional operational burdens on landlords and raise liability and enforcement questions. The clerk recorded Ayes 112, Noes 34 and the bill was passed.
