The Break Free From Domestic Violence Act protects domestic violence survivors by prohibiting landlords from charging early lease termination fees when tenants need to leave housing due to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to ensure that survivors in federally assisted housing programs can exit their leases early without financial penalties. This protection applies to both current tenants and housing applicants and eliminates landlords' ability to enforce lease clauses that would otherwise charge exit fees in these situations. The legislation does not specify new funding or a particular timeline for implementation beyond the amendment itself. By removing financial barriers to leaving dangerous housing situations, the bill aims to help survivors access safer living arrangements without the added burden of lease-breaking costs.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.