The St. Petersburg City Council passed an amendment to a city ordinance, strengthening protections for renters Thursday evening. It specifically protects renters against "source of income discrimination," which includes the use of housing vouchers. However, the move may go to waste as state lawmakers take up bills that could override it. The twin bills are SB1586 and HB1417, named "Residential Tenancies." They act to strip local leaders of their authority in tenant/renter relationships, handing that power to the state. Senate Bill 1586 reads: "Residential Tenancies; Preempting the regulation of residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship to the state; specifying that the act supersedes certain local regulations; revising how much notice is required to terminate certain tenancies, etc." Right now, the city of St. Petersburg has its own tenants' bill of rights, as do many other municipalities, dictating rules and regulations between renters and landlords. SB1586 and HB1417 have the potential to supersede that local authority. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/politics/state-could-override-local-control-tenant-laws/67-d0477e2a-980f-4dda-94d1-692101851019 ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay