A week ago, the House Government Operations Committee struck down a Senate bill that would have allowed tenants to take over water and sewer bills if a landlord fails to pay them.
Committee members had second thoughts, however, and the bill, S.41, was resurrected before the end of the week. Monday the House approved an amended version of the bill, sending it back to the Senate, which will decide whether to accept the changes.
The revised S.41 states, “a municipality shall accept payment from any person for any bill or delinquent charge.” That requirement is scheduled to sunset in February 2014, at which time a group of stakeholders will have offered a proposal for permanently addressing problems that stem from municipalities’ disconnection policies. Vermont Legal Aid has advocated for the legislation, whereas the Vermont League of Cities and Towns has voiced concerns over S.41.
S.41 was prompted by a lawsuit brought by Vermont Legal Aid on behalf of two Barre tenants who lost their water due to their landlord’s delinquency.
Rep. Mark Higley, R-Lowell, who presented S.41 on behalf of the Government Operations Committee, explained the committee’s about-face, saying they had “a number of questions” about the original bill, but they decided it was necessary to pull together a “stopgap measure until the spring.” All six of the committee members who originally voted against the bill voted for the revised version, and it passed in the House without any debate.
In the Senate version of the bill, tenants could have subtracted water payments made on behalf of their delinquent landlord from their rent.
