Limiting application fees for tenants

LD 691 bill text Read More MPA supported

What is the bill

This bill prohibits landlords from charging potential tenants a fee to submit a rental application. Landlords are still allowed to charge for actual costs related to conducting a one-time background check, credit check, or other screening once a year. The bill was originally broader, but was amended to reduce its scope.

Why it matters

Tenants in Maine are routinely charged $35 and more to apply to rent units across the state. Those fees add up quickly in a tight housing market when people often have to apply to numerous landlords before securing housing and can prevent people from even applying for housing when it becomes available. By limiting landlords to charging fees only for the actual costs incurred for background checks, prospective tenants are more likely to be able to apply for consideration, only being charged once they reach a screening phase.

What happened

The amended bill passed both houses (no Senate roll call) and Gov. Janet Mills signed it into law.

Scored Roll Call

House Roll Call #265, no Senate roll call

Votes

Republican–Fort Kent
MPA bill stance
Supported
Theriault vote
Absent
Republican–Madawaska
MPA bill stance
Supported
Albert vote
Opposed
Republican–Fort Fairfield
MPA bill stance
Supported
Babin vote
Opposed
Republican–Caribou
MPA bill stance
Supported
Guerrette vote
Opposed
Republican–Presque Isle
MPA bill stance
Supported
Underwood vote
Opposed
Republican–Monticello
MPA bill stance
Supported
Ardell vote
Opposed
Republican–Houlton
MPA bill stance
Supported
Swallow vote
Opposed
Republican–Hodgdon
MPA bill stance
Supported
Quint vote
Opposed
Democrat–Calais
MPA bill stance
Supported
Perry vote
Supported
Republican–East Machias
MPA bill stance
Supported
Davis vote
Opposed
Republican–Harrington
MPA bill stance
Supported
Strout vote
Opposed
Republican–Winter Harbor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Faulkingham vote
Opposed
Democrat–Ellsworth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Worth vote
Supported
Democrat–Bar Harbor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Williams vote
Supported
Democrat–Deer Isle
MPA bill stance
Supported
Eaton vote
Supported
Democrat–Blue Hill
MPA bill stance
Supported
Milliken vote
Supported
Democrat–Verona Island
MPA bill stance
Supported
Russell vote
Supported
Republican–Greenbush
MPA bill stance
Supported
Carmichael vote
Opposed
Republican–Orrington
MPA bill stance
Supported
Campbell vote
Opposed
MPA bill stance
Supported
O'Connell vote
Absent
Democrat–Bangor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Rana vote
Supported
Democrat–Bangor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Supica vote
Supported
Democrat–Bangor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Roeder vote
Supported
Democrat–Bangor
MPA bill stance
Supported
Perry vote
Supported
Democrat–Orono
MPA bill stance
Supported
Osher vote
Supported
Democrat–Penobscot
MPA bill stance
Supported
Dill vote
Supported
Republican–Milford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Drinkwater vote
Opposed
Absent–Lincoln
MPA bill stance
Supported
Gifford vote
Opposed
Republican–Chester
MPA bill stance
Supported
Javner vote
Absent
Republican–Guilford
MPA bill stance
Supported
White vote
Opposed
Republican–Dover-Foxcroft
MPA bill stance
Supported
Perkins vote
Opposed
Republican–Dexter
MPA bill stance
Supported
Foster vote
Opposed
Republican–Plymouth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Costain vote
Opposed
Republican–Levant
MPA bill stance
Supported
Griffin vote
Opposed
Republican–Carmel
MPA bill stance
Supported
Thorne vote
Opposed
Republican–Hampden
MPA bill stance
Supported
Haggan vote
Opposed
Republican–Winterport
MPA bill stance
Supported
Paul vote
Opposed
Republican–Waldo
MPA bill stance
Supported
Hymes vote
Opposed
Democrat–Belfast
MPA bill stance
Supported
Dodge vote
Supported
Democrat–Montville
MPA bill stance
Supported
Zeigler vote
Supported
Democrat–Camden
MPA bill stance
Supported
Doudera vote
Supported
Democrat–Rockland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Geiger vote
Supported
Democrat–St. George
MPA bill stance
Supported
Matlack vote
Supported
Independent–Warren
MPA bill stance
Supported
Pluecker vote
Supported
Republican–Waldoboro
MPA bill stance
Supported
Simmons vote
Opposed
Democrat–Newcastle
MPA bill stance
Supported
Crafts vote
Supported
Republican–Wiscasset
MPA bill stance
Supported
Polewarczyk vote
Opposed
Democrat–Boothbay
MPA bill stance
Supported
Stover vote
Supported
Democrat–Woolwich
MPA bill stance
Supported
Hepler vote
Supported
Democrat–Bath
MPA bill stance
Supported
Paulhus vote
Supported
Democrat–Topsham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Jauch vote
Supported
Democrat–Bowdoinham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Cluchey vote
Supported
Republican–Chelsea
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lemelin vote
Opposed
Democrat–Gardiner
MPA bill stance
Supported
Montell vote
Supported
Democrat–Hallowell
MPA bill stance
Supported
Shagoury vote
Supported
Republican–Wales
MPA bill stance
Supported
Greenwood vote
Opposed
Democrat–Readfield
MPA bill stance
Supported
Hasenfus vote
Supported
Republican–Belgrade
MPA bill stance
Supported
Newman vote
Opposed
MPA bill stance
Supported
LaRochelle vote
Supported
Democrat–Augusta
MPA bill stance
Supported
Bridgeo vote
Supported
Republican–Vassalboro
MPA bill stance
Supported
Bradstreet vote
Opposed
Republican–Palermo
MPA bill stance
Supported
Smith vote
Opposed
Republican–Albion
MPA bill stance
Supported
Cyrway vote
Opposed
Democrat–Waterville
MPA bill stance
Supported
Madigan vote
Supported
Democrat–Waterville
MPA bill stance
Supported
White vote
Supported
Republican–Oakland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Nutting vote
Opposed
Republican–Fairfield
MPA bill stance
Supported
Rudnicki vote
Absent
Republican–Pittsfield
MPA bill stance
Supported
Collamore vote
Opposed
Republican–Palmyra
MPA bill stance
Supported
Cray vote
Opposed
Republican–Skowhegan
MPA bill stance
Supported
Poirier vote
Opposed
Republican–Madison
MPA bill stance
Supported
Ducharme vote
Opposed
Republican–Embden
MPA bill stance
Supported
Dunphy vote
Opposed
Republican–Phillips
MPA bill stance
Supported
Soboleski vote
Opposed
Republican–Wilton
MPA bill stance
Supported
Hall vote
Opposed
Democrat–Farmington
MPA bill stance
Supported
Landry vote
Supported
Republican–Livermore Falls
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lyman vote
Opposed
MPA bill stance
Supported
Schmersal-Burgess vote
Opposed
Republican–Rumford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Henderson vote
Opposed
Republican–Paris
MPA bill stance
Supported
Andrews vote
Opposed
Republican–Oxford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Jackson vote
Opposed
Republican–Waterford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Millett vote
Opposed
Republican–Fryeburg
MPA bill stance
Supported
Ness vote
Absent
Independent–Harrison
MPA bill stance
Supported
Riseman vote
Absent
Republican–Naples
MPA bill stance
Supported
Walker vote
Opposed
Republican–Standish
MPA bill stance
Supported
Pomerleau vote
Opposed
Democrat–Raymond
MPA bill stance
Supported
Fay vote
Supported
Republican–Poland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Boyer vote
Opposed
Democrat–Auburn
MPA bill stance
Supported
Shaw vote
Supported
Democrat–Auburn
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lee vote
Supported
Republican–Auburn
MPA bill stance
Supported
Libby vote
Opposed
Republican–Turner
MPA bill stance
Supported
Morris vote
Opposed
Republican–Sabattus
MPA bill stance
Supported
Wood vote
Opposed
Democrat–Lewiston
MPA bill stance
Supported
Craven vote
Supported
Democrat–Lewiston
MPA bill stance
Supported
Cloutier vote
Supported
Democrat–Lewiston
MPA bill stance
Supported
Abdi vote
Supported
Democrat–Lewiston
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lajoie vote
Absent
Republican–Lisbon
MPA bill stance
Supported
Mason vote
Opposed
Republican–Durham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Galletta vote
Opposed
Democrat–Harpswell
MPA bill stance
Supported
Golek vote
Supported
Democrat–Brunswick
MPA bill stance
Supported
Ankeles vote
Supported
Democrat–Brunswick
MPA bill stance
Supported
Arford vote
Supported
Democrat–Freeport
MPA bill stance
Supported
Sachs vote
Supported
Democrat–Yarmouth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Bell vote
Supported
Republican–New Gloucester
MPA bill stance
Supported
Arata vote
Opposed
Democrat–North Yarmouth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Graham vote
Supported
Republican–Windham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Bagshaw vote
Opposed
Democrat–Windham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Pringle vote
Supported
MPA bill stance
Supported
Terry vote
Supported
Democrat–Gorham
MPA bill stance
Supported
Boyle vote
Supported
Democrat–Cumberland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Moriarty vote
Supported
Democrat–Falmouth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Kuhn vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Crockett vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lookner vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Collings vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Brennan vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Zager vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Moonen vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Ross vote
Supported
Democrat–Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Skold vote
Supported
Democrat–South Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Dhalac vote
Supported
Democrat–South Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Kessler vote
Supported
Democrat–South Portland
MPA bill stance
Supported
Reckitt vote
Supported
Democrat–Cape Elizabeth
MPA bill stance
Supported
Millett vote
Supported
Democrat–Scarborough
MPA bill stance
Supported
Warren vote
Supported
Democrat–Scarborough
MPA bill stance
Supported
Murphy vote
Supported
Democrat–Westbrook
MPA bill stance
Supported
Gattine vote
Supported
Democrat–Westbrook
MPA bill stance
Supported
Rielly vote
Supported
Democrat–Westbrook
MPA bill stance
Supported
Salisbury vote
Supported
MPA bill stance
Supported
O'Neil vote
Supported
Democrat–Saco
MPA bill stance
Supported
Copeland vote
Supported
Democrat–Old Orchard Beach
MPA bill stance
Supported
Gramlich vote
Supported
Democrat–Biddeford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Sheehan vote
Supported
Democrat–Biddeford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Malon vote
Supported
Democrat–Kennebunkport
MPA bill stance
Supported
Gere vote
Supported
Democrat–Kennebunk
MPA bill stance
Supported
Sayre vote
Supported
Republican–Alfred
MPA bill stance
Supported
Sampson vote
Opposed
Republican–Buxton
MPA bill stance
Supported
Carlow vote
Absent
Republican–Buxton
MPA bill stance
Supported
Blier vote
Opposed
Republican–Waterboro
MPA bill stance
Supported
Woodsome vote
Opposed
Republican–Arundel
MPA bill stance
Supported
Parry vote
Opposed
Republican–Sanford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lanigan vote
Opposed
Democrat–Sanford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Mastraccio vote
Supported
Republican–Sanford
MPA bill stance
Supported
Fredericks vote
Opposed
Republican–Lebanon
MPA bill stance
Supported
Adams vote
Opposed
Democrat–Wells
MPA bill stance
Supported
Hobbs vote
Supported
MPA bill stance
Supported
Runte vote
Supported
Democrat–York
MPA bill stance
Supported
Sargent vote
Supported
Republican–Berwick
MPA bill stance
Supported
Lavigne vote
Opposed
Democrat–South Berwick
MPA bill stance
Supported
Roberts vote
Supported
Democrat–Eliot
MPA bill stance
Supported
Meyer vote
Supported
MPA bill stance
Supported
Mathieson vote
Supported