Bill Sponsors
Giraldo, Cruz, Alzate, Stewart, Felix, Tanzi, Potter, Kislak, Handy, and Sanchez
Committee
House Judiciary
Summary
Select
This bill, known as the "Fair Chance in Housing Credit Reports Act," restricts landlords from considering a potential tenant's credit history older than three years when reviewing a rental application. If a landlord denies an applicant based on credit history from within that three-year period, they must provide a written notice explaining the reason within 20 days. The legislation exempts owner-occupied properties with three or fewer units. Additionally, it establishes civil penalties for violations and allows aggrieved individuals to file complaints with the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Promotes housing equity by preventing old financial hardships from permanently barring individuals from securing safe and stable housing.
- Increases transparency in the housing market by mandating that landlords provide written reasons for denials, empowering tenants to understand and address specific concerns.
- Strengthens tenant protections against discrimination and unfair practices by providing a clear pathway for recourse through the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights.
Cons for Progressives
- The exemption for owner-occupied premises with three or fewer units leaves a segment of renters vulnerable to discriminatory screening practices based on old credit history.
- A three-year lookback period may still be too long for individuals recovering from recent economic crises, such as medical bankruptcy or pandemic-related job loss.
- The reliance on a complaint-driven enforcement model places the burden on denied tenants to initiate action, which may be difficult for those struggling with housing instability.
Pros for Conservatives
- Protects the property rights of small-scale landlords by exempting owner-occupied buildings with three or fewer units from these new regulations.
- Maintains the fundamental right of business owners to assess current financial risk by allowing the review of credit history within the most recent three years.
- Provides clear regulatory boundaries, reducing legal ambiguity regarding how far back a landlord can look when vetting potential customers.
Cons for Conservatives
- Interferes with the free market by restricting a property owner's ability to fully vet potential tenants and assess long-term financial reliability and character.
- Imposes additional administrative burdens on private businesses by mandating specific written notices and timelines for application denials.
- Empowers a government commission to levy significant financial penalties against private citizens and business owners for operational decisions regarding their own property.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Landlords
- Renters
- Property Management Companies
- Low-income Individuals
- Real Estate Agents
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
Amount unknown
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
Measures population affected and overall level of impact.
Freedom Impact
Level of individual freedom impacted by the bill.
Public Services
How much the bill is likely to impact one or more public services.
Regulatory
Estimated regulatory burden imposed on the subject(s) of the bill.
Clarity of Bill Language
How clear the language of the bill is. Higher ambiguity equals a lower score.
Enforcement Provisions
Measures enforcement provisions and penalties for non-compliance (if applicable).
Environmental Impact
Impact the bill will have on the environment, positive or negative.
Privacy Impact
Impact the bill is likely to have on the privacy of individuals.
Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 02/12/2026 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary
• 03/13/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/18/2026)
• 03/18/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 03/13/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/18/2026)
• 03/18/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Title 34 of the General Laws entitled "PROPERTY" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: CHAPTER 18.3 FAIR CHANCE IN HOUSING CREDIT REPORTS ACT
34-18.3-1. Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Fair Chance in Housing Credit Reports Act”.
34-18.3-2. Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Applicant" means any person considered for or who requests to be considered for tenancy within a rental dwelling unit.
(2) "Conditional offer" means an offer to rent or lease a rental dwelling unit to an applicant that is contingent on a subsequent inquiry into the applicant’s criminal record, or any other eligibility criteria that the housing provider may lawfully utilize.
(3) "Housing provider" means a landlord, an owner, lessor, sublessor, assignee, or their agent, or any other person receiving or entitled to receive rents or benefits for the use or occupancy of any rental dwelling unit.
(4) "Rental dwelling unit" means a dwelling unit offered for rent by a housing provider for residential purposes, other than a dwelling unit in an owner-occupied premises of not more than three (3) dwelling units.
34-18.3-3. Consideration of rental applications -- Credit history -- Denial notice.
(a) If a landlord uses credit history as criteria in consideration of a rental application, the landlord shall not consider any credit history beyond three (3) years immediately preceding the date of the application.
(b) If a landlord denies a rental application based upon credit history from within the three (3) years immediately preceding the date of the application, the landlord shall provide the prospective tenant a written notice of the denial that states the reason for denial. The landlord shall make a good-faith effort to do so not more than twenty (20) calendar days after making the decision to deny the prospective tenant's rental application.
34-18.3-4. Civil liability.
(a) A person claiming to be aggrieved pursuant to § 34-18.3-3 may file a complaint with the Rhode Island commission for human rights pursuant to chapter 37 of title 34.
(b) Any housing provider who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the first violation, five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the second violation, and ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each subsequent violation collectible by the attorney general.
(c) The Rhode Island commission for human rights is empowered and directed to prevent any person from violating any of the provisions of § 34-18.3-3; provided that, before instituting a formal hearing it shall attempt by informal methods of conference, persuasion, and conciliation, to induce compliance with that section. Upon the commission's own initiative or whenever an aggrieved individual or an organization chartered for the purpose of combating discrimination or of safeguarding civil liberties or rights of persons, the individual or organization, hereinafter referred to as the "complainant", makes a charge to the commission that any person, agency, bureau, corporation or association, hereinafter referred to as the "respondent", has violated or is violating any of the provisions of § 34-18.3-3, the commission may proceed in the same manner and with the same powers as provided in §§ 34-37-5 and 34-37-6.
34-18.3-5. Unlawful acts by housing providers -- Retaliation prohibited.
It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of the person having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of the person having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by this chapter. No housing provider under this chapter or any agent of that individual shall discriminate in any manner against any person because the person has opposed any practice forbidden by this chapter, or because the person has made a charge, testified, or LC004787 - Page 2 of 4 assisted in any manner in any investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter.
34-18.3-6. Severability.
If any portion of this law is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful, such finding shall not affect any other portion of said law not specifically so found.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
34-18.3-1. Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Fair Chance in Housing Credit Reports Act”.
34-18.3-2. Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Applicant" means any person considered for or who requests to be considered for tenancy within a rental dwelling unit.
(2) "Conditional offer" means an offer to rent or lease a rental dwelling unit to an applicant that is contingent on a subsequent inquiry into the applicant’s criminal record, or any other eligibility criteria that the housing provider may lawfully utilize.
(3) "Housing provider" means a landlord, an owner, lessor, sublessor, assignee, or their agent, or any other person receiving or entitled to receive rents or benefits for the use or occupancy of any rental dwelling unit.
(4) "Rental dwelling unit" means a dwelling unit offered for rent by a housing provider for residential purposes, other than a dwelling unit in an owner-occupied premises of not more than three (3) dwelling units.
34-18.3-3. Consideration of rental applications -- Credit history -- Denial notice.
(a) If a landlord uses credit history as criteria in consideration of a rental application, the landlord shall not consider any credit history beyond three (3) years immediately preceding the date of the application.
(b) If a landlord denies a rental application based upon credit history from within the three (3) years immediately preceding the date of the application, the landlord shall provide the prospective tenant a written notice of the denial that states the reason for denial. The landlord shall make a good-faith effort to do so not more than twenty (20) calendar days after making the decision to deny the prospective tenant's rental application.
34-18.3-4. Civil liability.
(a) A person claiming to be aggrieved pursuant to § 34-18.3-3 may file a complaint with the Rhode Island commission for human rights pursuant to chapter 37 of title 34.
(b) Any housing provider who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the first violation, five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the second violation, and ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each subsequent violation collectible by the attorney general.
(c) The Rhode Island commission for human rights is empowered and directed to prevent any person from violating any of the provisions of § 34-18.3-3; provided that, before instituting a formal hearing it shall attempt by informal methods of conference, persuasion, and conciliation, to induce compliance with that section. Upon the commission's own initiative or whenever an aggrieved individual or an organization chartered for the purpose of combating discrimination or of safeguarding civil liberties or rights of persons, the individual or organization, hereinafter referred to as the "complainant", makes a charge to the commission that any person, agency, bureau, corporation or association, hereinafter referred to as the "respondent", has violated or is violating any of the provisions of § 34-18.3-3, the commission may proceed in the same manner and with the same powers as provided in §§ 34-37-5 and 34-37-6.
34-18.3-5. Unlawful acts by housing providers -- Retaliation prohibited.
It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of the person having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of the person having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by this chapter. No housing provider under this chapter or any agent of that individual shall discriminate in any manner against any person because the person has opposed any practice forbidden by this chapter, or because the person has made a charge, testified, or LC004787 - Page 2 of 4 assisted in any manner in any investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter.
34-18.3-6. Severability.
If any portion of this law is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful, such finding shall not affect any other portion of said law not specifically so found.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.