As discouraging as it was to not get this year’s security deposit housing legislation passed, Student Government Association Attorney General Chris Gregory hopes to “get ’em next year” in Charleston.
Gregory, the former SGA executive director of housing, said he was disappointed that the housing legislation he and other SGA members have worked on throughout the year never left West Virginia State Legislature’s House and Senate Judiciary Committees.
The bill, a longtime work in progress, defined a security deposit and held landlords responsible for holding deposits in separate bank accounts. It also would have punished landlords who lied about broken items or apartment damages.
It was introduced to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees as House Bill 2797 and Senate Bill 452.
Gregory is encouraged, however, that SGA’s efforts will improve next year.
The bill failed to pass through the two committees before the legislature convened in April.
“Hopefully we’ll get it introduced earlier next year. We’ll work a little harder,” Gregory said.
He added that it might not have been the best year to introduce the bill because of legislature’s busy schedule with more pertinent legislation, such has the gray machine bill.
Furthermore, Gregory said he believes that even better things are going to come of the bill with the help of new SGA Executive Director of Housing Patrick Dillon.
“He’s a good guy and he’s going to do a great job,” Gregory said.
Gregory added that he hopes to make continuous trips to Charleston in the future to help with new security deposit legislation initiatives.
He said that he also hopes the SGA will have more future support.
“Next year, we hope we’ll have even more sponsors (for a new bill),” Gregory said.