This bill mandates that landlords provide tenants in certain multiple dwellings with a "tenant legal resources notice" that outlines their legal rights. The bill specifies that landlords must distribute this notice to tenants at various key times, including before occupancy, upon lease renewal, and with any legal summons related to the lease. Additionally, landlords are required to post the notice in a conspicuous location within the residential building. The Department of Community Affairs is tasked with creating a state component of the notice that includes information on available legal services, common tenant claims, and the consequences of failing to distribute the notice, which includes a $1,000 penalty for non-compliance.

Furthermore, municipalities are required to publish their own tenant legal resources notice that incorporates the state component and additional local resources. The bill allows municipalities to impose a surcharge on landlords to cover the costs of administering this requirement. It also increases the penalty for violations of the "Truth in Renting Act" from $100 to $1,000, reflecting the significant rise in rental costs since the original penalty was established. Tenants are permitted to recover not only the penalty but also reasonable attorney fees and related expenses incurred in proving a violation. The bill is set to take effect three months after enactment, with specific provisions for landlord obligations taking effect eight months after enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 46:8-44, 46:8-47