Las Vegas assemblyman’s bill would help domestic violence victims break a lease

CARSON CITY — A bill heard Monday in the Nevada Assembly would expand the types of incidents that would permit an individual to break a lease without financial penalty, from only domestic violence incidents now to include cases of harassment, sexual assault and stalking.

Assembly Bill 247 by Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas, expands on a measure first passed by lawmakers in 2013. It was heard by the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee but no immediate action was taken on the measure, which has a proposed amendment that was supported by the involved parties.

To use the law under the expanded categories, an individual would have to submit either a police report or a court-ordered protective order. Under the current law, domestic violence victims must supply an affidavit to seek to break a lease and one of the other two documents.

Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, asked about including incidents of harassment, noting that such a category would greatly broaden the application of the law.

He also asked if there was any statistical information about how often the law is used, but no data was available during the hearing.

Susan Fisher, a lobbyist representing the Nevada State Apartment Association, testified in support of the bill with the proposed amendment. One of the larger property managers said it receives about one such request a week, she said.

Also testifying in favor was Chuck Callaway, representing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, who said the agency supports efforts to assist victims to get them out of dangerous situations.

Others spoke in support as well. There was no testimony in opposition to the measure.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3820. Follow @seanw801 on Twitter.