Bill > HB146

This bill requires landlords of properties served by an on-site wastewater system, which is a system designed to treat and dispose of wastewater on the property itself or a holding tank, to ensure the system is inspected and pumped out by licensed professionals before a new tenant moves in, starting by July 1, 2028. These inspections and pump-outs are valid for three years. If an inspection reveals a failing system, the landlord must notify the delegated approval authority, which is a local health department or county agency authorized by the Department of the Environment, and inform them when the system is repaired. The delegated approval authority is also directed to approve, as much as is practical, necessary repairs or replacements to the drain field of a failing system. The bill also extends deadlines for the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations and for all on-site wastewater service providers to be licensed, pushing them to July 1, 2027, and July 1, 2028, respectively. It clarifies that these requirements do not apply to certain property transfers like those between spouses, parents and children, or siblings under specific conditions, or when a mortgage is being refinanced, or for the initial transfer after construction.