1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to housing; making the landlord the bill 
  1.3             payer and customer of record on utility accounts in 
  1.4             single-metered multiunit residential buildings; 
  1.5             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 504.185, 
  1.6             subdivision 1, and by adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 504.185, 
  1.9   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] For the purposes of this 
  1.11  section, the following terms have the meanings given to them.  
  1.12     (a) "Owner" has the meaning given to it in section 566.18, 
  1.13  subdivision 3. 
  1.14     (b) "Tenant" has the meaning given to it in section 566.18, 
  1.15  subdivision 2. 
  1.16     (c) "Building" has the meaning given to it in section 
  1.17  566.18, subdivision 7. 
  1.18     (d) "Single-metered residential building" means a multiunit 
  1.19  rental building with one or more separate residential living 
  1.20  units where the utility service measured through a single meter 
  1.21  provides service to an individual unit and to all or parts of 
  1.22  common areas or other units. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 504.185, is 
  1.24  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.25     Subd. 1a.  [SINGLE-METER UTILITY SERVICE PAYMENTS.] In a 
  1.26  residential leasehold contract entered into or renewed on or 
  2.1   after August 1, 1995, the owner of a single-metered residential 
  2.2   building shall be the bill payer responsible, and shall be the 
  2.3   customer of record contracting with the utility for utility 
  2.4   services.  The owner must advise the utility provider that the 
  2.5   utility services apply to a single-metered residential 
  2.6   building.  A failure by the owner to comply with this 
  2.7   subdivision is a violation of sections 504.18, subdivision 1, 
  2.8   clause (a), and 504.26.  This subdivision may not be waived by 
  2.9   contract or otherwise.  This subdivision does not require an 
  2.10  owner to contract and pay for utility service provided to each 
  2.11  residential unit through a separate meter which accurately 
  2.12  measures that unit's use only.