THIS BILL NEEDS FURTHER STUDY!

Submitted To the Public Health Committee

March 2, 2011

By
Tim Calnen
Vice President of Government Affairs

This bill singles out some property owners to provide mandatory documentation of "bed bug infestation history" in dwellings prior to sale or lease but inexplicably exempts vast numbers of others. It should not be approved in its present form.

Aside from our Association having not been contacted or advised about this issue before seeing the legislation, we question whether the extent of the problem warrants the reaction dictated by this bill. If the purpose is protection against a serious public health threat, what is really gained by a fragmented system of public notices that does nothing to attack the vermin themselves…and even could stigmatize responsible property owners who properly have remediated the problem? Might a better solution be a public education program informing ALL citizens - - owners and tenants alike - - of the causes of bed bug infestation and how to prevent and eradicate it?

Realtors support the disclosure of material facts to tenants and purchasers in real estate transactions, but if a condominium unit had a bed bug situation six months ago which has since been eliminated, does that need to be brought up?

Our Association has worked constructively with the Department of Consumer Protection in implementing the Seller's Property Condition Disclosure Law (Sec 20-327b). It already addresses insect and pest "problems" in Item 27 of the report form. We have also worked diligently with the Department of Public Health in their creation and dissemination of the booklet, "Environmental Hazards in the Home." Had the proponents of this bill contacted us, perhaps this particular situation could have been responded to through those two channels.

Further study of this bill should address these additional reservation/questions:

• Why is so much of the Connecticut housing stock exempted from the bill's requirements (single family home sales exclusive of condominium units, college housing, summer camps for children, etc)?
• Why chronicle bed bugs versus cockroaches, lice, or ants? Delegation of power to the Department of Public Health to "minimally" require 4 items (and there by add more) goes too far.

Thank you for your consideration.