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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2499
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE STEINHOFF .
61 12H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 441, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to purpose-built
student housing.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 441, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 441.928, to read as follows:
441.928. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "Academic services", services that dir ectly affect a student r enter's ability to
3 be successful academically that include, but shall not be limited to, rel iable internet
4 access, transportation to and fr om the institution of higher education, study spaces, and
5 community events;
6 (2) "Essential services", services that dir ectly affect a rent er's ability to be safe,
7 healthy , and comfortable that include, but shall not be limited to, readi ly available
8 laundry facilities, secure building access, secur e personal spaces, garbage disposal,
9 emergency maintenance services, and on-site parking;
10 (3) "Purpose-built student housing", off-campus housing with a common space
11 that several student rent ers share and are res ponsible for and is designed for student
12 r enters who are attending an institution of higher education in this state and is leased by
13 the bed or by the room.
14 2. Any rent er of purpose-built student housing shall have the following rights:
15 (1) The right to a habitable living space, which includes the following
16 functioning utilities:
17 (a) W ater;
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
18 (b) Electricity; and
19 (c) Heat;
20 (2) The right to timely repair s for maintenance issues arising fr om normal wear
21 and tear;
22 (3) The right to pr oper notice before entry by the landlord except in emergency
23 situations;
24 (4) The right to pr oper written notice if the purpose-built student housing
25 pr operty is sold to a new landlord;
26 (5) The right to not be discriminated against based on pr otected characteristics
27 including, but not limited to, race, religi on, or disability; and
28 (6) The right to a lease modification or to exit an existing lease in cases in which
29 the rent er has a change in academic status within the institution of higher education.
30 Changes in academic status may include, but are not limited to:
31 (a) T ransferring to another institution of higher education not within pr oximity
32 to the purpose-built student housing;
33 (b) Withd rawing fr om the institution of higher education;
34 (c) Being r emoved fro m the institution of higher education; or
35 (d) Relocating to another state because of a:
36 a. Catastroph ic illness or accident of a family member of the rent er;
37 b. Death in the family; or
38 c. Family emergency or other life-changing event that req uires the rent er to
39 withdraw fro m the institution of higher education.
40 3. A lease between a landlord of purpose-built student housing and a r enter of
41 such housing shall include the following:
42 (1) T ranspar ency in the withholding of deposits and charging of fees, including
43 deposits and fees withheld or charged befor e, during, and at the end of the lease;
44 (2) How conflicts between rent ers within each purpose-built student housing
45 shall be re solved;
46 (3) How health disclosures on a lease application shall be honor ed;
47 (4) Information regard ing lease modifications, including transferring a lease or
48 subleasing and exiting an existing lease if ther e is a change in academic status;
49 (5) Lease renew al options, including a right-of-first-r efusal clause that includes a
50 timeline no earlier than the semester prior to when the lease is due to expir e;
51 (6) All academic services and essential services a landlord of purpose-built
52 student housing is pr oviding to rent ers of such housing;
53 (7) A pro vision regar ding ref unds of any fees assessed if ther e is a guarantor on
54 the lease and rent has been paid in a timely manner; and
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55 (8) Information pertaining to the landlord's expectations as to the condition of
56 the purpose-built student housing when a r enter moves into and out of such housing.
57 4. In conjunction with the attorney general, the department of higher education
58 and workforce development shall creat e a flyer that landlords of purpose-built student
59 housing shall prov ide to rent ers, including potential rent ers, of such housing that shall
60 include, at a minimum, the lease requi rem ents provi ded under subsection 3 of this
61 section. The flyer pro vided shall be fr ee of charge and shall be specific to the purpose-
62 built student housing being leased.
63 5. If the landlord fails to pr ovide any of the listed academic services or essential
64 services pro vided in the lease in a timely manner , the landlord shall be deemed guilty of
65 for cible entry and detainer as described in chapter 534; pr ovided, however , that this
66 subsection shall not be applicable if the landlord takes such action for health or safety
67 r easons.
✔
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