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SF 46: RESIDENTIAL RENTALS - 1997 General Session
Sponsor: Sen. Greg Phillips (D-S15, Evanston); co-sponsor Rep. John Hanes (R-H42, Cheyenne)
Current Wyoming statutes contain little in the way of landlord-tenant law, and what little there is strongly favors the landlord. SF 46 proposed a more comprehensive approach to protecting the interests of both owners and renters.
The bill set out the duties of owners and renters, requiring the former to maintain rental property in condition fit for human habitation (including compliance with local ordinances, state laws, and health and safety requirements), and the latter to cooperate in maintaining the property.
SF 46 also required the owner to maintain electrical systems, plumbing, heating, and hot and cold water (except for damage caused by the renter’s misuse of the property), and to fix any malfunctions in these systems within a reasonable time of notice from the renter.
The renter, in turn, was required to maintain the premises in a clean and safe condition, dispose of garbage in a clean and safe manner, use facilities and appliances in a reasonable manner, stay current on payments, and keep the number of occupants as originally agreed upon unless given written permission by the owner to add more.
SF 46 prohibited the renter from intentionally or negligently destroying or damaging the rental property, or permitting others to do so. It also forbade interfering with another person’s peaceful enjoyment of the property, or unreasonably refusing entry to the owner to make repairs or inspect the unit.
For renters in compliance with the requirements of the law, SF 46 provided a means to bring an action in county or justice of the peace court to remedy unfit conditions, and allowed for injunctive relief and recovery of damages.
SF 46 also set out procedures for the owner to follow for terminating the rental agreement, handling deposits, and disposing of abandoned property.
Proponents of SF 46 argued that the existing law is inadequate and outdated, and that both owners and renters need protection from the bad actors. A law setting out specific procedures, they said, would help prevent misunderstandings and rip-offs.
Opponents argued that aggrieved parties currently have remedies in small claims court, and that the proposed legislation needed considerably more fine-tuning.
SF 46 passed the Senate handily, 29-0 (1 excused), but failed on third reading (final passage) in the House, 27-30 (1 excused, 2 conflicts).
The votes listed below are the third reading (final passage) votes in the Senate and House.
A YES vote means the legislator supported legislation to establish landlord and tenant rights.
A NO vote means the legislator opposed legislation to establish landlord and tenant rights.
|
BIG HORN BASIN LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S18 |
Sen. Hank Coe (R) |
Yes |
|
H24 |
Rep. Peg Shreve (R) |
Yes |
|
H50 |
Rep. Pat Childers (R) |
No |
|
S19 |
Sen. Carroll Miller (R) |
Yes |
|
H25 |
Rep. Denny Smith (R) |
No |
|
H26 |
Rep. Chas. Hessenthaler (R) |
No |
|
S20 |
Sen. Gerald Geis (R) |
Yes |
|
H27 |
Rep. Ray Harrison (R) |
No |
|
H28 |
Rep. Mike Baker (R) |
No |
|
CASPER-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S27 |
Sen. Gail Zimmerman (R) |
Yes |
|
H35 |
Rep. Dorothy Perkins (R) |
No |
|
H36 |
Rep. Bruce Hinchey (R) |
No |
|
S28 |
Sen. Keith Goodenough (D) |
Yes |
|
H56 |
Rep. Pat Nagel (R) |
Yes |
|
H57 |
Rep. Bob Tanner (R) |
No |
|
S29 |
Sen. Bill Hawks (R) |
Yes |
|
H37 |
Rep. Rick Tempest (R) |
Yes |
|
H59 |
Rep. Nancy Berry (D) |
Yes |
|
S30 |
Sen. Charles Scott (R) |
Yes |
|
H38 |
Rep. Carolyn Paseneaux (R) |
No |
|
H58 |
Rep. Ann Robinson (D) |
Yes |
|
CHEYENNE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S4 |
Sen. April Brimmer Kunz (R) |
Yes |
|
H7 |
Rep. Tony Ross (R) |
Yes |
|
H41 |
Rep. Mac McGraw (D) |
Yes |
|
S5 |
Sen. Donald Lawler (R) |
Yes |
|
H8 |
Rep. Larry Meuli (R) |
Yes |
|
H42 |
Rep. John Hanes (R) |
Yes |
|
S6 |
Sen. Rich Cathcart (D) |
Yes |
|
H9 |
Rep. Wayne Johnson (R) |
Yes |
|
H10 |
Rep. Pete Anderson (R) |
No |
|
S7 |
Sen. Guy Cameron (D) |
Yes |
|
H11 |
Rep. Wayne Reese (D) |
Excused |
|
H43 |
Rep. Kathryn Sessions (D) |
Yes |
|
S8 |
Sen. Jayne Mockler (D) |
Yes |
|
H12 |
Rep. Leo Garcia (D) |
Yes |
|
H44 |
Rep. Floyd Esquibel (D) |
Yes |
|
GILLETTE-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S23 |
Sen. Larry Gilbertz (R) |
Yes |
|
H31 |
Rep. John Hines (R) |
No |
|
H52 |
Rep. George McMurtrey (R) |
No |
|
S24 |
Sen. Dick Erb (R) |
Yes |
|
H32 |
Rep. Jeff Wasserburger (R) |
No |
|
H53 |
Rep. Nick Deegan (D) |
Yes |
|
LANDER/RIVERTON-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S25 |
Sen. John Vinich (D) |
Excused |
|
H33 |
Rep. Harry Tipton (R) |
Yes |
|
H54 |
Rep. Cale Case (R) |
No |
|
S26 |
Sen. Bob Peck (R) |
Yes |
|
H34 |
Rep. Frank Philp (R) |
No |
|
H55 |
Rep. Eli Bebout (R) |
No |
|
NORTHEAST/EAST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S1 |
Sen. Bill Barton (R) |
Yes |
|
H1 |
Rep. Marlene Simons (R) |
No |
|
H2 |
Rep. Ross Diercks (D) |
Yes |
|
S2 |
Sen. Jim Twiford (R) |
Yes |
|
H5 |
Rep. Jim Hageman (R) |
No |
|
H6 |
Rep. Jim Anderson (R) |
No |
|
S3 |
Sen. Curt Meier (R) |
Yes |
|
H3 |
Rep. Bill Stafford (R) |
No |
|
H4 |
Rep. Roger Huckfeldt (R) |
No |
|
SHERIDAN-AREA LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S21 |
Sen. Tom Kinnison (R) |
Yes |
|
H29 |
Rep. Rick Badgett (R) |
No |
|
H51 |
Rep. Bruce Burns (R) |
Conflict |
|
S22 |
Sen. John Schiffer (R) |
Yes |
|
H30 |
Rep. Bill Bensel (D) |
Yes |
|
H40 |
Rep. Douglas Osborn (R) |
No |
|
SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S9 |
Sen. Vince Picard (R) |
Yes |
|
H13 |
Rep. Mike Massie (D) |
Yes |
|
H45 |
Rep. Wende Barker (D) |
Yes |
|
S10 |
Sen. Irene Devin (R) |
Yes |
|
H14 |
Rep. Phil Nicholas (R) |
No |
|
H46 |
Rep. Tom Rardin (R) |
No |
|
S11 |
Sen. Bob Grieve (R) |
Yes |
|
H15 |
Rep. Tony Rose (R) |
Yes |
|
H47 |
Rep. Teense Willford (R) |
No |
|
SOUTHWEST WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S12 |
Sen. Rae Lynn Job (D) |
Yes |
|
H16 |
Rep. Kenilynn Zanetti (D) |
Conflict |
|
H48 |
Rep. Jack Steinbrech (R) |
No |
|
S13 |
Sen. Ray Sarcletti (D) |
Yes |
|
H17 |
Rep. Fred Parady (R) |
No |
|
H60 |
Rep. Louise Ryckman (D) |
Yes |
|
S14 |
Sen. Mark Harris (D) |
Yes |
|
H18 |
Rep. John Eyre (R) |
No |
|
H39 |
Rep. Chris Boswell (D) |
Yes |
|
S15 |
Sen. Greg Phillips (D) |
Yes |
|
H19 |
Rep. Wayne Morrow (D) |
Yes |
|
H49 |
Rep. Ken Decaria (D) |
Yes |
|
WEST CENTRAL WYOMING LEGISLATORS |
Vote |
|
|
S16 |
Sen. Delaine Roberts (R) |
Yes |
|
H20 |
Rep. Louie Tomassi (R) |
Yes |
|
H21 |
Rep. Randall Luthi (R) |
Yes |
|
S17 |
Sen. Grant Larson (R) |
Yes |
|
H22 |
Rep. Budd Betts (R) |
No |
|
H23 |
Rep. Clarene Law (R) |
Yes |
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