Sponsors (3)
The bill improves safety for survivors and makes household account management more transparent and convenient, but it increases privacy risks for vulnerable people, creates compliance and administrative costs that may be shifted to consumers or housing programs, and provides limited statutory damages as enforcement.
Renters (particularly survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking) can end covered-program leases early without paying fees, making it easier to leave unsafe housing and reducing immediate financial barriers to safety.
Cohabitating adults (parents, families, roommates, homeowners, renters) can jointly manage household bills and access shared service accounts and online portals, simplifying bill payment, reducing missed payments, and improving transparency about household services.
Covered companies must notify new joint-account holders about what information will be shared and provide applicable privacy (Regulation P) notices, giving consumers clearer notice and expectations about data-sharing and consent.
People in or leaving unsafe relationships (including survivors, seniors, and people with disabilities) face increased risk that joint-account access will expose sensitive account communications or service information to cohabitants, which could endanger privacy and safety.
Covered companies will incur compliance and operational costs to change systems and privacy processes, and those costs may be passed on to customers through higher prices or fees, affecting household expenses.
If lease fee waivers are not coupled with rehousing or wraparound supports, victims who leave for safety reasons may still face short-term housing instability despite the fee waiver.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires many service providers and creditors to let consenting cohabiting adults open joint accounts with shared access and lets certain housing program tenants end leases early without fees if they are violence victims.
Introduced June 24, 2025 by Sean Casten · Last progress June 24, 2025
Requires many service providers, landlords, creditors, utilities, and similar companies to let consenting adults who live together open joint accounts to manage services and bills, give each joint account holder access to account information and online portals, and notify new joint-account holders about what information will be shared. It allows harmed adults to sue for up to $1,000 per violation. It also lets applicants and tenants in certain federally assisted housing programs who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to end a lease early without being charged a fee.