Landlords may get more leeway soon

Talk about it

Governor Scott Walker signed a bill yesterday to make communities drop local ordinances that limit or prohibit building owners from using things like income, credit histories, rental histories, and criminal records in deciding which tenants to accept.

Supporters say the new law will end decades of regulations that went way too far against landlords. But tenant groups say it will also eliminate long-established protections.

Last spring, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said it would eliminate landlord-tenant rules that took years to hash out. And he said lawmakers did not give communities enough time to review the bill.

The governor signed 21 measures into law yesterday. They include limits on legal fees in consumer fraud cases, new legal protections to property owners who kill intruders, and earlier beer-selling hours.

Tags: wisconsin, business, home