SB 413: Landlord and Tenant; residential rental or lease agreement terminations if a tenant or a legal occupant of a residence experienced residential firearm violence; provide

Current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-23) already lets a tenant end a residential lease early with 30 days written notice if a civil or criminal family violence order or stalking order has been issued to protect the tenant or their child. This bill adds a new reason: if the tenant or another legal occupant of the home was a victim of what the bill calls residential firearm violence, meaning a felony, misdemeanor, or other act involving a firearm that injured or seriously risked injuring them at or near the residence. To use this new ground, the tenant must give the landlord documentation such as a statement from a victim services provider, a law enforcement record, healthcare records, or a sworn statement from a qualified third party like a police officer, nurse, social worker, or member of clergy. The bill also requires landlords to give tenants written notice of the termination cause and effective date at least 72 hours before the lease ends. As under current law, the tenant still owes prorated rent through the effective date but no extra fees or damages, and the protections cannot be waived by agreement.

• Adds residential firearm violence as a new legal ground for a tenant to end a residential lease early with 30 days written notice.
• Defines residential firearm violence as any felony, misdemeanor, or other firearm-related act causing or seriously risking injury to a tenant or legal occupant at or near the residence.
• Requires tenants to submit supporting documentation, such as records from a victim services provider, law enforcement, a healthcare provider, or a sworn affidavit from a qualified third party like police, medical staff, clergy, or social workers.
• Requires landlords to give tenants written notice specifying the termination reason and effective date at least 72 hours before the lease ends.
• Keeps the tenant responsible for prorated rent and unpaid amounts through the termination date, but bars landlords from charging extra fees or damages for the early termination.
• Prohibits landlords and tenants from waiving or modifying these termination protections by agreement.

Renters and other legal occupants of Georgia residences who experience firearm violence at home, landlords who manage residential leases, and third parties such as police officers, healthcare workers, social workers, and clergy who may be asked to verify a tenant's experience with such violence.

Tenants who experience gun violence in their homes would gain a clear legal path to leave a lease early without owing extra fees, similar to existing protections for domestic violence and stalking victims. Landlords would face new documentation checks and a 72-hour notice requirement before ending a tenancy under this ground.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 44-7-23 to add definitions for 'qualified third party,' 'residence,' 'residential firearm violence,' and 'victim services provider.'
• Subsection (b) lets a tenant terminate a lease with 30 days written notice if the tenant or a legal occupant experienced residential firearm violence, in addition to existing family violence and stalking order grounds.
• Subsection (c) lists the documentation a tenant must provide, including victim services provider statements, law enforcement records, healthcare records, or a sworn affidavit from a qualified third party.
• New subsection (d) requires landlords to give tenants written notice of the termination cause and effective date at least 72 hours before the termination takes effect.
• Subsection (e) keeps tenants liable for prorated rent through the termination date but bars additional fees or damages, and waives all penalties if notice is given 14 or more days before move-out.
• The final subsection reaffirms that these protections cannot be waived or modified by agreement between landlord and tenant.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-27Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2026-01-16Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)Patrocinador principal
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)

• renters rights
• landlord tenant law
• gun violence
• housing policy
• domestic violence protections