STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires landlords to disclose existence of lead service lines and lead water supply plumbing to tenants.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the disclosure of lead service lines and water supply plumbing to tenants and supplementing Title 46 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. No later than 90 days after the effective date of this act, a landlord shall inspect each of the landlord’s rental properties to determine if the property is served by a lead service line or lead water supply plumbing.
b. (1) Upon a determination pursuant to subsection a. of this section that a rental property is served by a lead service line or lead water supply plumbing, a landlord shall notify each of the tenants in that rental property about the lead service line or lead water supply plumbing.
(2) Prior to the execution of a new lease, a landlord shall provide notice to the prospective tenants that the property is served by a lead service line or lead water supply plumbing and information about the health risks lead in drinking water poses to residents in a form and manner determined by the Department of Community Affairs.
c. A landlord who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil administrative penalty not to exceed $500 and each day during which the violation continues shall constitute an additional, separate, and distinct offense. Any civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be collected in a civil action by a summary proceeding under the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of proceedings for the enforcement of the penalty provided by this section.
d. The Department of Community Affairs may adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this section.
e. For the purposes of this section:
“Landlord” means the same as the term is defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1975, c.310 (C.46:8-44).
“Service line” means the pipe, tubing, and fittings connecting a water main to a residential building.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require landlords to disclose the existence of lead service lines and lead water supply plumbing to tenants. The bill would also require, within 90 days after the bill is enacted into law, a landlord inspect a rental property to determine if the property is served by a lead service line or lead water supply plumbing.
A landlord who violates the provisions of this bill would be subject to a penalty of not more than $500 for each offense.