Contact your representative and urge them to vote for HB1563. Keep your communication short and respectful. Thank them for their service. Some talking points:
Government regulates most businesses to ensure that consumers receive a product of value. Tenants rent housing in order to live in it, but Arkansas, alone of all the states, does not require landlords to provide habitable housing or to make repairs.
Over 90% of Arkansans support minimum standards for rental housing.
This bill will save lives by requiring smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Livable rental premises are a win-win-win for landlords, tenants, and communities. Landlords will have higher property values and benefit from having long-term tenants. Tenants will be healthier and their children will do better in school. Communities will have fewer demands on fire departments, code enforcement, and social services.
The bill’s smoke alarm and CO detector provisions will save lives, and are similar to other basic safety features the government requires, like seat belts in cars and health inspections of restaurants.
Living in substandard housing is particularly harmful to children. Not only can their health suffer, but their ability to learn is adversely affected as well.