Connecticut General Statutes 47a-9a – Prohibitions re discrimination against prospective or existing tenant for conviction related to cannabis possession; possession or consumption of cannabis; drug tests. Exceptions
(a) As used in this section, “tenant”, “landlord” and “dwelling unit” have the same meanings as provided in § 47a-1. Except as provided in this section, a landlord or property manager may not refuse to rent to a prospective tenant or an existing tenant, or otherwise discriminate against a prospective tenant or an existing tenant, based on a past conviction for possession of a cannabis-type substance under § 21a-279a or for a past conviction for possession of four or fewer ounces of cannabis plant material, and any equivalencies and combinations thereof, pursuant to subsection (i) of § 21a-279a in any other jurisdiction.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 47a-9a
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Dwelling unit: means any house or building, or portion thereof, which is occupied, is designed to be occupied, or is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, as a home or residence of one or more persons. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Landlord: means the owner, lessor or sublessor of the dwelling unit, the building of which it is a part or the premises. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Rent: means all periodic payments to be made to the landlord under the rental agreement. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Roomer: means a person occupying a dwelling unit, which unit does not include a refrigerator, stove, kitchen sink, toilet and shower or bathtub and one or more of these facilities are used in common by other occupants in the structure. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Tenant: means the lessee, sublessee or person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit or premises to the exclusion of others or as is otherwise defined by law. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
(b) Except as provided in this section, in the case of the rental of a dwelling unit, a landlord or property manager may not prohibit the possession of cannabis or the consumption of cannabis, except a landlord or property manager may prohibit smoking of cannabis or use of an electronic cannabis device or cannabis vapor product, as such terms are defined in § 19a-342a.
(c) A landlord or property manager may not require a tenant to submit to a drug test.
(d) The provisions of this section do not apply if:
(1) The tenant is a roomer who is not leasing the entire residence;
(2) The residence is incidental to detention or the provision of medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious, or similar service;
(3) The residence is a transitional housing or sober living facility; or
(4) Failing to prohibit cannabis possession or consumption or failure to require a drug test would violate federal law or regulations or cause the landlord to lose a monetary or licensing-related benefit under federal law or regulations.