While an Assembly committee has approved a bill making major changes to landlord-tenant relations, the Legislature may not pass it this session because of time constraints.

The bill, which would make changes to laws governing landlord tenant relations such as no longer allowing cities and states to prohibit landlords from pursuing eviction of a tenant, passed the Assembly Committee on Housing on a party-line vote, said Rep. Leon Young, D-Milwaukee, who serves on the committee.

Rep. Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, one of the members of the committee who voted for the bill, said the law is very important since it better defines the relationship between landlord and tenant.

“[The bill] puts common sense reforms in place that eventually will bring down costs for rent,” Steineke said.

He said the bill allows landlords to hold on to property left by tenants for only 30 days before they can get rid of the items. He added that oftentimes, most of the tenants just leave behind “miscellaneous junk,” and that this part of the bill removes this “undue burden” placed on the landlord.

However, Young said he voted against the bill because it seemed to give landlords an upper hand in their relationship with tenants.

“Well, overall, it’s just a bad bill,” Young said. “It’s just a bad policy because it takes away tenants’ rights and gives more power to landlords.”

He also said the lease makes it difficult for tenants to get the security deposit back.

Young added the committee voted for a substitute amendment, modifying many parts of the bill. He said all members voted for it except for Rep. Janet Bewley, D-Ashland.

He said the amendment addressed a few concerns raised at the public hearing; for instance, removing portions of the bill having to do with requiring the tenant to write a landlord for a problem before being able to go to an elected official with a request for help.

However, he said while the amendment improved the bill, overall he still believed it was a “bad” bill.

The future of the bill is still in question over whether it will pass in the Assembly or not.

Steineke said he does not know whether lawmakers will take up the bill before the session ends. He said the last scheduled Assembly meeting is next Tuesday, and if they do not address the bill then, it will probably not be covered this session.

He added if the bill does not get a floor vote, it will have to be reintroduced, passed through committee again and then passed on a floor vote in next year’s session.

Young said Democratic lawmakers on the committee are hoping the bill will not come up for a vote and plan to do what they can to delay the bill and prevent its passage.

“It’s getting late in the legislative session, and they are going to have to pass it within the next two weeks,” Young said. “It will also have to not only pass the Assembly floor, but go through the Senate floor as will. We’re hoping we can delay and kill it.”