Bill > S4241

Introduced Session

This bill extends the grace period for rental late charges for certain persons who receive public assistance payments. Under current law, certain tenants are entitled to a grace period of five business days following the date in which rent is due and payable. During this grace period, a landlord may not impose delinquency or other late charges on unpaid rent. This law currently applies to the following tenants, to whom rent is payable on the first of each month: senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age Pensions, Railroad Retirement Pensions, or other governmental pensions in lieu of Social Security Old Age Pensions; and recipients of Social Security Disability Benefits, Supplemental Security Income, or benefits under Work First New Jersey (i.e., "qualified tenants"). This bill extends the current grace period to include the period of time before a qualified tenant receives a monthly public assistance payment. For example, if the rent of a qualified tenant is due on the first day of the month, but the tenant receives payment of public assistance on the 10th day of the month, then the landlord may only impose late charges after the fifth business day following the 10th day of the month. Under the bill, the lease agreement of a qualified tenant would be required to set forth the dates on which the qualified tenant is scheduled to receive public assistance for each month in which rent is due and payable. As used in the bill, "public assistance" is defined as payments received pursuant to Social Security Old Age Pensions, Railroad Retirement Pensions, other governmental pensions in lieu of Social Security Old Age Pensions, Social Security Disability Benefits, Supplemental Security Income, or Work First New Jersey. The provisions of this bill apply to the same persons who are currently entitled to the grace period, except that the grace period would be provided for any qualified tenant, regardless of whether rent is due on the first of the month. The bill would take effect immediately following the date of enactment and apply to any lease or other agreement that is entered into or renewed thereafter.

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Joe Cryan (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 11/18/2019)

Official Document