Housing (Tenant Rights)

SB 391 prevents Kansas cities and counties from passing local laws that require landlords to accept tenants using housing vouchers or restrict landlords from considering a tenant's income source (like housing assistance). It specifically bans ordinances that force landlords to lease to voucher recipients, limit security deposits, or require automatic tenant rights. The bill ensures landlords can use standard screening criteria, including income source, when deciding tenants. This directly affects landlords, local governments, and tenants who rely on housing assistance programs.

HB 2504 prevents cities and counties in Kansas from banning landlords from refusing to rent to prospective tenants who receive housing assistance (like vouchers), consider credit or eviction history, or set security deposits. It allows landlords to use their own criteria for tenant screening and refuse to offer a right of first refusal. However, the bill explicitly permits cities or counties to still ban discrimination against tenants or applicants who receive veterans benefits. This directly affects landlords (by expanding their screening flexibility) and tenants using housing assistance or veterans benefits (by limiting local protections against certain landlord decisions).