Bill Text: NJ A4446 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Requires notification of pet presence in seasonal rental unit.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-01-30 - Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading [A4446 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4446-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Flynn, Collazos-Gill, Speight and Park
SYNOPSIS
Requires notification of pet presence in seasonal rental unit.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee on January 30, 2025, with amendments.
An Act concerning pets in seasonal rental units and supplementing Title 29 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Occupancy" means the point at which a renter of a seasonal rental unit enters the seasonal rental unit, in accordance with the renter's contracted stay, and for twelve hours immediately following.
"Owner" means the owner of a seasonal rental unit 1located in New Jersey1, or an agent of the owner acting on the owner's behalf.
"Pet" means a domesticated animal normally maintained in a household.
"Seasonal rental unit" means a dwelling unit 1located in New Jersey1 rented for a term of not more than 125 consecutive days for residential purposes by a person having a permanent residence elsewhere, but shall not include use or rental of living quarters by migrant, temporary, or seasonal workers in connection with any work or place where work is being performed.
b. The owner of a seasonal rental unit 1that allows pets1 shall 1[notify a prospective renter, prior to contracting for an accommodation, if a pet is regularly present, or is present within two weeks preceding the scheduled stay of the prospective renter] include in all advertisements for the seasonal rental unit notice that pets are permitted to be present at the seasonal rental unit. If the owner of the seasonal rental unit advertises that the seasonal rental unit allows pets at the time of booking, then a prospective renter shall be deemed notified that a pet is regularly present1. If the owner fails to 1[notify the prospective renter] include this notice in an advertisement1 in violation of this section, then the renter shall be entitled to sever the 1[contract for the accommodation] renter's contractual obligations with the owner1 and receive a full reimbursement of any deposit or other payment made 1to the owner1 for the 1[accommodation] seasonal rental unit1 , if the renter notifies the owner 1[subsequent to] within 12 hours of1 taking occupancy, promptly leaves the seasonal rental unit to terminate occupancy, and does not return during the duration of the contracted stay.
c. 1The following entities shall not be held responsible for a violation of subsection b. of this section if the owner fails to provide the applicable information to the entity:
(1)1 A licensee of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, acting as an agent of the owner 1[, shall not be liable for information that is required to be disclosed by an owner pursuant to subsection b. of this section and was not provided to the licensee] ;
(2) A transient space marketplace, as defined in subsection j. of section 1 of P.L.1991, c.376 (C. 40:48-8.45)1.
2. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt the rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act on or before January 1, 1[2025] 20261.
3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 1[2025] 20261.
