AN ACT relating to termination of residential leases.
Summary
HB58 creates a new section of Kentucky law allowing a “medically fragile tenant” to end a residential lease or rental agreement early when a recent mental or physical health emergency makes relocation necessary. The bill defines medically fragile tenants broadly to include people with substance use disorder seeking treatment, people experiencing a mental health crisis, elderly tenants moving to assisted living, people with disabilities requesting reasonable accommodations, and people with serious health conditions requiring care unavailable at their current location.
To use the new termination right, the tenant must give the landlord written notice at least 30 days before the effective termination date and provide medical documentation supporting the need to relocate. The tenant remains responsible only for prorated rent through the termination date, and the bill bars landlords from imposing negative credit entries, character references, or other rent/fee charges tied to the early termination. It also protects tenants from damages or penalties if the lease is ended at least 14 days before occupancy, while preserving the lease obligations of any remaining co-tenants.
Impact
HB58 would add a tenant-protection provision to KRS Chapter 383 by creating a statutory right for certain tenants to terminate residential leases early for documented medical or health-related emergencies. It would limit landlord remedies by restricting fees, penalties, and adverse reporting, while also providing landlords immunity from civil liability when acting in good faith under the new section. The bill applies only to leases or renewals entered into on or after the effective date, so it would not retroactively alter existing agreements.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of committee testimony or recorded votes, the overall sentiment appears supportive of providing a humane exit option for tenants facing serious health crises. The measure is framed as a targeted accommodation for vulnerable renters rather than a broad change to landlord-tenant law. No formal opposition or debate is available in the provided materials, so there is no documented split in sentiment from committee discussion or floor action.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the scope of who qualifies as a “medically fragile tenant,” the documentation required to prove eligibility, and the effect on landlords’ contractual expectations. Landlords may be concerned about early termination, vacancy risk, and limits on fees or damages, while tenant advocates are likely to support the bill’s protections for people with disabilities, mental illness, substance use disorder, serious illness, or elderly tenants needing assisted living. Another possible issue is how the law would interact with co-tenants, since the lease remains in effect for remaining occupants.