Pryor celebrates passage of bipartisan bill prioritizing tenants

Senate Bill 114 passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives today and now heads to the governor's desk. The bill, which protects tenants from the risk of utility shut-offs if the owner of their residential property fails to pay utility bills, comes less than a year after residents at several Indianapolis apartment complexes nearly had their water and gas services shut off due to outstanding fees.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), who spoke in favor of the bill on the House floor, offered the following statement today following its passage:

“Senate Bill 114 is a shining example of what can happen when members of the Indiana legislature – regardless of party affiliation – come together to work for Hoosiers. Indiana, especially Indianapolis, is already struggling with an abysmal affordable housing shortage. The basic needs of hardworking Hoosiers should not be threatened because of a negligent landlord or an out-of-state company that owns their apartment complex. This bill prioritizes tenants and ensures that individuals who do their due diligence and pay their bills on time will not lose their utilities due to circumstances outside of their control. Voting for this bill was a no-brainer for me, and I'm glad we were able to get this through the House with unanimous support.”