Housing (Renters)

SB 431 establishes the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act to regulate online platforms that connect renters with property owners in the state. The bill requires these platforms, along with their affiliates, to secure reimbursement insurance policies that cover their financial obligations to users if they fail to honor their guarantee contracts. This insurance ensures that if a platform defaults on a promise to reimburse a renter for damages, an authorized insurance company will step in to pay the owed amount. The legislation also mandates that these guarantees clearly state they are not insurance contracts and outlines specific rules for how the insurance policies can be terminated. Ultimately, the law aims to protect consumers by ensuring there is a reliable financial backstop for rental disputes handled through digital marketplaces.

This bill is a symbolic resolution that expresses the Ohio House of Representatives' intent to affirm a set of tenant rights already protected by existing state laws. It outlines seven specific protections, including fair application processes, clear lease terms, freedom from discrimination, safe housing conditions, reasonable rent, the right to organize, and safeguards against unfair evictions. By restating these legal standards in plain language, the measure aims to highlight the state's commitment to fair housing practices. The resolution does not create new laws or change current regulations but serves to publicly acknowledge and support the rights tenants already possess under Ohio Revised Code.

To amend section 5321.04 and to enact sections 5321.041 and 5321.042 of the Revised Code to require landlords to notify tenants of rent defaults prior to commencing evictions.