Bill > S2970

Introduced Session

This bill requires a residential landlord to accept a rent payment if made by a tenant or prospective tenant by cash, certified check, money order, or personal check, or through any federal, State, or local rental assistance program or bona fide charitable organization on behalf of the tenant (enumerated payment methods). Specifically, in addition to any other payment method provided by a landlord, including an electronic payment method, if a rent payment, including a renewal or an extension agreement payment, is made by a tenant on time, or up until the date when a warrant for removal is posted to the residential dwelling unit or a lockout is executed following the entry of a judgment of possession due to nonpayment of rent, the landlord is required to accept the rent payment if made by one of the enumerated payment methods. The bill establishes a penalty of $2,000 for a violation of the provisions of the bill, and permits the enforcement process to be initiated by the Commissioner of Community Affairs or the Attorney General. Additionally, a landlord who violates the bill would be subject, at the discretion of the tenant, to a separate cause of action by the tenant, who would be permitted to recover $2,000 from the landlord for each offense, in addition to reasonable attorney's fees and expenses, court costs, expenses for expert witnesses, and other expenses incurred in providing a violation of the bill. If a personal check used to make a residential rent payment is returned for insufficient funds, the bill requires the tenant to be responsible for associated fees and penalties. Following this event, the bill permits the landlord to prohibit the tenant's future rent payments from being made by personal check.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Raj Mukherji (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document