The proposed bill would update current statutes by prohibiting municipalities and counties from maliciously delaying the statutory licensing time frames for single-family residential construction. It would allow the Attorney General to enforce compliance based on written complaints from property owners, imposing a civil penalty of $5,000 per violation. The bill also clarifies the definition of "malicious" to include intentional obstruction through unauthorized requirements or repeated unexplained delays, while excluding delays caused by resource constraints or good faith errors. Furthermore, the bill establishes expedited judicial review for plaintiffs filing malicious delay claims, requiring courts to set an initial case management conference within 10 days of the complaint and to expedite all related proceedings. This aims to streamline the licensing process and enhance accountability for municipalities and counties, ensuring timely resolution of issues related to single-family residential construction applications.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-500.54, 11-269.31, 41-710.04
Senate Engrossed Version: 9-500.54, 11-269.31, 12-1139, 9-835
House Engrossed Version: 9-500.54, 11-269.31, 12-1139, 9-835
Chaptered Version: 9-500.54, 11-269.31, 12-1139, 9-835