Bill > S1166

This bill establishes new regulations for dealing with bed bugs, defined as insects of the species "Cimex Lectularius," in residential dwellings, excluding single-unit homes. It requires tenants to promptly notify owners in writing of any suspected bed bug infestation and to cooperate with inspections and treatments by allowing access to the unit with 24-hour notice and following the instructions of a certified pesticide applicator, which may include actions like sealing personal property or removing excessive belongings that hinder treatment. Failure to comply can make a tenant liable for damages and may result in an order prohibiting them from occupying the unit during extermination. Conversely, owners are obligated to maintain dwelling units free of bed bug infestations once they are aware of a problem, which includes conducting visual inspections within five business days of tenant notification and, if an infestation is confirmed, commencing extermination and notifying tenants of surrounding units. Within ten business days of knowing about an infestation, owners must hire a certified applicator to confirm the presence of bed bugs, and if confirmed, the owner must carry out the necessary treatments until control is achieved, with a follow-up inspection 30 days later to confirm completion. Before renting out an unoccupied unit, owners must visually inspect it and provide written verification to the tenant that it is bed bug-free, and if an infestation is found, extermination must begin before the lease is signed; if this verification is not provided at lease signing, tenants are not liable for damages from an infestation confirmed within 30 days. Owners are generally not liable for bed bug damages unless they fail to meet these requirements, though they can agree to different terms with tenants. Finally, the Department of Public Health will create and distribute an informational sheet about bed bugs, their spread, prevention, control, and the legal rights and responsibilities of tenants and owners, which must be provided to tenants at the time of lease signing.