Hearing on SB 413 spotlights tenant relocation option after firearm violence; landlords raise concerns about breadth

Senate Bill 413, which would allow tenants who are direct victims of firearm violence to terminate leases and move without adverse civil consequences, received a hearing in the subcommittee but was held for further work.

Sponsor Senator Jackson said the bill builds on existing carve-outs for victims of stalking and domestic violence and is intended to help people escape cycles of retaliatory violence: "If we can create a situation where people can just move and that can might save a life, then we're willing to do that," she said. The sponsor indicated willingness to refine validation and documentation requirements.

Industry witnesses—including the Georgia Association of Realtors and the Georgia Apartment Association—said the current draft is too loosely defined on terms such as "immediate vicinity" and on who may validate a victim's claim, creating potential for abuse or mass lease terminations. Betsy Bradfield (Georgia Realtors) and Hayden Stanley (Georgia Apartment Association) urged tightening the definitions and aligning the verification process with prior stalking/domestic-violence carve-outs that include judicial or police validation in some cases.

Advocates for survivors urged broader validation pathways. Kareema Dillard (Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence) told the subcommittee many survivors do not contact law enforcement, and allowing trained victim-service providers and other qualified third parties to certify eligibility can make the remedy accessible to people who need it.

The chair designated the hearing as "hearing only" and asked sponsors to work with stakeholders on clearer definitions and validation protocols before moving the bill forward.