PRINTER'S NO. 1231
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
975
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY DEAN, V. BROWN, FREEMAN, MACKENZIE, BROWNLEE,
KOTIK, DAVIS, KINSEY, SCHREIBER, THOMAS, DeLUCA, YOUNGBLOOD,
McNEILL, COHEN, SCHWEYER, O'BRIEN, McCARTER, CALTAGIRONE,
FABRIZIO, W. KELLER, SIMS, KORTZ, SABATINA, ACOSTA, FRANKEL,
GIBBONS, HENNESSEY, TOOHIL, EVERETT, MALONEY, O'NEILL,
D. COSTA, DEASY, KIM AND J. HARRIS, APRIL 15, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, APRIL 15, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), entitled "An
act relating to the rights, obligations and liabilities of
landlord and tenant and of parties dealing with them and
amending, revising, changing and consolidating the law
relating thereto," in recovery of possession, providing for
early termination of leases by individuals with disabilities
and senior citizens.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known
as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 514. Early Termination of Leases by Individuals with
Disabilities and Senior Citizens.--(a) Notwithstanding any
other provision of this act or law, a tenant of a residential
unit may terminate the lease prior to the date provided in the
lease by providing the landlord of the residential unit with the
information specified in subsection (b) if the tenant:
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(1) has a disability or is a senior citizen; and
(2) is either:
(i) awaiting admission and subsequently moves to a health
care facility; or
(ii) needs to move and subsequently moves to a family
member's residence for the express purpose of receiving care
from a home health care agency for a period of no less than six
months.
(b) The following information must be submitted to a
landlord:
(1) written notice delivered to the landlord sixty days
prior to the proposed early termination date informing the
landlord of the tenant's required admission and move to a health
care facility or need to move to a family member's residence for
the express purpose of receiving care from a home health care
agency for a period of no less than six months;
(2) certified documentation signed by a licensed physician
indicating that the tenant, due to medical reasons, is unable to
continue to live independently in the residential unit and
requires admission to a health care facility or needs to receive
care from a home health care agency for a period of no less than
six months; and
(3) if applicable, a notarized statement from the tenant's
family member attesting to the fact that the tenant is a
relative and will be moving into the family member's residence
to receive care from a home health care agency for a period of
no less than six months.
(c) Nothing under this section shall be construed to relieve
a tenant to which this section applies of liability for rent or
any other debt incurred under a lease prior to the termination
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date provided in the lease.
(d) For the purposes of this section, the following words
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection
unless the context otherwise indicates:
"Disability." A physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities.
"Health care facility." Any general, chronic disease or
other type of hospital, personal care home, home health care
agency, hospice or long-term care nursing facility.
"Senior citizen." Any person who has attained the age of 62
years of age or older, or will attain such age during the term
of an agreement in which the person is a tenant of a residential
unit.
Section 2. The provisions of this act shall only apply to
leases entered into or extended on or after the effective date
of this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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