To amend sections 3767.01, 3767.05, 4301.74, 5321.02, and 5747.98 and to enact sections 5321.172 and 5747.35 of the Revised Code to allow a tenant to terminate a rental agreement if the tenant is a victim of a specified crime, to authorize an income tax credit for landlords who rented to such tenants, and to name this act the Ohio Safe Homes Act.
HB855, the Ohio Safe Homes Act, creates a new tenant-protection process for people who are victims of rape, attempted rape, domestic violence, dating violence, abuse, or a sexually oriented offense. Under the bill, an eligible tenant may terminate a residential rental agreement early, or request replacement locks, if the tenant has either a qualifying protection order or a written record from a qualified third party documenting a credible report of the abuse or offense. The bill sets notice, documentation, timing, and confidentiality requirements for both tenants and landlords, including a requirement that the tenant give notice of termination and vacate within 30 days, and a requirement that replacement locks be installed within 24 hours at a cost capped at $250.
The bill also limits landlord conduct in these situations. It prohibits landlords from retaliating against a tenant for using the new protections, from pursuing eviction actions for early termination under the section, from charging early-termination fees, and from disclosing the tenant’s protected status or forwarding information to the named abuser or others except as required by law. It further provides that co-tenants remain on the lease unless they also terminate, procure a new tenant, or assume the lease, and it bars landlords from refusing to rent to an otherwise qualified applicant because the applicant discloses, or does not disclose, victim status.
In addition to tenant protections, the bill creates a nonrefundable Ohio income tax credit for landlords who rent to tenants who later terminate under the new domestic-violence/victim-termination section. The credit equals the lesser of $2,000 or one month’s rent for each qualifying terminated rental agreement, and unused credit may be carried forward for two years. The bill also amends the state’s tax-credit ordering statute so this new landlord credit is claimed in the prescribed sequence.
The bill makes related changes to Ohio nuisance and liquor-control statutes, largely by updating cross-references and preserving existing abatement and injunction procedures for nuisance properties involving unlawful alcohol activity. It repeals and replaces portions of the Revised Code to align those references with the new numbering and terminology. Overall, the bill would expand tenant rights, impose new landlord duties and confidentiality obligations, and provide a tax incentive intended to offset landlords’ losses when a protected tenant leaves early.
Because HB855 was only introduced and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, there is no recorded vote or formal committee testimony in the provided materials. The overall sentiment reflected by the bill’s sponsorship and cosponsorship is supportive of victim safety and housing stability, with the measure framed as a protective housing policy rather than a punitive one. The main likely point of contention is the balance between tenant safety and landlord burden, especially the documentation requirements, the 24-hour lock-change mandate, the cap on lock costs, the limits on landlord disclosure, and the tax-credit subsidy designed to compensate landlords for early termination.
HB855 would add a new tenant-termination right in Chapter 5321 of the Revised Code for victims of specified violent and sexual offenses, while also creating a new landlord tax credit in Chapter 5747. It would amend existing landlord-retaliation law to include retaliation tied to a tenant’s use of the new victim-termination and lock-replacement protections, and it would require landlords to honor early termination, preserve confidentiality, and follow specific procedures for co-tenants and security deposits. The bill also updates nuisance and liquor-control provisions in Chapters 3767 and 4301 to conform cross-references and preserve enforcement mechanisms, and it would take effect prospectively for taxable years ending on or after the effective date.
The bill appears generally favorable and protective in tone, with bipartisan-looking sponsorship and no recorded opposition in the provided history. Its stated purpose is to help victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking-related offenses, and similar crimes safely leave a rental unit or secure the premises without penalty. The absence of committee testimony or votes means there is no documented public debate here, but the structure of the bill suggests broad policy support for victim safety paired with a landlord reimbursement mechanism to improve acceptability.
The likely areas of disagreement are practical and financial rather than ideological. Landlords may object to the mandatory 24-hour lock replacement timeline, the $250 cap on lock charges, the confidentiality restrictions, and the prohibition on early-termination fees or eviction actions, while tenant advocates may focus on whether the documentation requirements are flexible enough for survivors who cannot easily obtain a protection order. Co-tenant liability is another possible issue, since the bill leaves the lease in place for other occupants unless they act affirmatively, which could create disputes over rent and lease obligations. The tax credit may be viewed as an offset for landlords, but its adequacy and administrative complexity could also be debated.