The proposed General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1303 aims to strengthen the registration process for nonresident landlords and increase penalties for violations of building and fire codes. Key provisions include the introduction of new definitions such as "Identifying information," "Nonresident owner," and "Population," which clarify landlord responsibilities. Municipalities with populations of 25,000 or more will be required to mandate nonresident owners or project-based housing providers to report their current residential addresses and identifying information to the tax assessor. If they fail to comply, the municipality will use the address to which property tax bills are sent as the official address for compliance purposes. The bill also emphasizes the need for landlords to adhere to health and safety codes and maintain habitable conditions.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing legal language by changing the classification of violations from "infractions" to "violations," which may lead to increased penalties for noncompliance. It establishes a fine structure for violations of the State Building Code, with penalties ranging from $200 to $1,000 for the first offense and escalating for subsequent offenses. Similar adjustments are made for violations of the State Fire Prevention Code and Fire Safety Code. Local fire marshals will also be empowered to issue citations for code violations, with a portion of the fines allocated to municipalities. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025, and the bill repeals and substitutes several sections of the general statutes to implement these updates, ultimately aiming to enhance accountability among landlords and improve safety standards in rental properties.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 29-254a, 29-291c, 29-394