Home Builders Victorious on 15-Day Right of Cancellation

Bill Ward, Executive Vice President, HBAI

Legislation providing senior citizens a 15-Day Right of Cancellation for home repair & remodeling work has been amended with language requested by the Home Builders and we now favor the bill that will protect seniors from door-to-door salespersons.

HB2643 sponsored in the House by Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) would have given seniors 15 business days to cancel work to be done on their homes. The well-intentioned bill is targeted to protect seniors from high pressure sales tactics by extending the current number of days to cancel from 3 to 15.

The unintended consequence of this measure is that remodelers and repair persons would most likely wait out the three weeks prior to adding improvements to homes owned by those 65 and older. HB 2643 also would have created an unfair competitive advantage to retailers who are not subject to the Home Repair & Remodeling Act.

The bill passed the House in April with a commitment from the House Sponsor to work with HBAI on our concerns.

In the Senate, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) agreed to allow us to amend the bill to affect only “Uninvited Solicitors,” meaning that the 15-Day Right of Cancellation will apply only to those who solicit for business by going door-to-door.

Now, HB2643 will hit the targeted situation where seniors are most vulnerable; when they are at home with a door-to-door contractor who refuses to leave without a contract. It will also allow senior citizens to request work and get it in a timely fashion with the traditional 3-day right of cancellation.

The bill was considered in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Economic Development on Thursday, May 9, 2019 and our amendment was accepted with bi-partisan and unanimous support.

The Home Builders want to thank Senator Bush and the members on the committee for their positive consideration to our amendment. Committee members include:

Madam Chair, Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines)

Vice Chair, Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights)

Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Plainfield)

Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin)

Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey)

Senator Mike Hastings (D-Frankfort)

Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora)

Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago)

Senator John Mulroe (D-Chicago)

Minority Spokesman Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg)

Senator Neil Anderson (R-Moline)

Senator Jim Oberweis (R- N. Aurora)

HB2643 will now move to the full Senate for final action and back to the House for Concurrence on our amendment.

HB2643 was an HBAI Lobby Day focus bill that we can chock up as a Lobby Day Victory!