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HB178

Alaska Bill HB178: Medical Debt and Credit Reporting Rules

Last scannedSep 12, 2026, 4:46 AM

In one sentence

This bill makes it illegal for landlords to ask about or reject tenants based on medical debt, and bans credit agencies from reporting this type of debt.

What it does

  • Makes it unlawful for property owners, lessees, managers, or others with the right to lease residential real property to refuse renting because a person has medical debt.
  • Prohibits landlords from discriminating against applicants in terms, conditions, or privileges of rental due to medical debt.
  • Bans landlords from making written or oral inquiries about an applicant's medical debt.
  • Stops landlords from advertising preferences or limitations based on medical debt.
  • Prevents medical creditors and collectors from reporting information about medical debt to consumer credit reporting agencies.
  • States that if a creditor reports medical debt in violation of this law, the agreement to pay that debt is void and unenforceable.
  • Bans consumer credit reporting agencies from including medical debt in consumer reports or using it to calculate credit scores.

Who it affects

  • Owners, lessees, managers, and others with the right to lease residential real property
  • People seeking to rent or lease housing who have unpaid health care bills
  • Consumer credit reporting agencies that collect data on debts
  • Medical creditors (entities providing health care services)
  • Medical debt collectors

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill takes effect immediately, but the specific calendar date of enactment is not listed in this text.
  • The definition of medical debt excludes charges on credit cards or extensions of credit from financial institutions, which may affect how some bills are classified.

Plain language

Terms to know

medical debt
Money owed for the provision of health care services, products, or devices. It does not include charges put directly onto a credit card.
consumer credit reporting agency
A company that collects information about people's debts and creates their consumer reports and scores.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

MEDICAL DEBT: INFORMATION, DISCRIMINATION An Act relating to medical debt and consumer credit reporting agencies; relating to discriminatory practices based on the medical debt of a person; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) REFERRED TO FINANCE1068
  2. (H) FN1: ZERO(GOV)1068
  3. (H) NR: NELSON1068
  4. (H) DNP: SADDLER, COULOMBE1068
  5. (H) DP: BURKE, CARRICK, FIELDS, HALL1068
  6. (H) L&C RPT CS(L&C) 4DP 2DNP 1NR1068
  7. (H) Minutes (HL&C)Min
  8. (H) Moved CSHB 178(L&C) Out of CommitteeText
  9. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  10. (H) Minutes (HL&C)Min
  11. (H) Heard & HeldText
  12. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  13. (H) Minutes (HL&C)Min
  14. (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 15 min. after adjournment --Text
  15. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  16. (H) Minutes (HL&C)Min
  17. (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 15 minutes Following Session --Text
  18. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 09:00 AM BARNES 124Text
  19. (H) L&C, FIN643
  20. (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS643