Arizona House passes measure allowing landlords to remove a tenant's houseguest

The Arizona House has passed a bill that allows landlords to have a tenant's houseguest removed by police without notice.

Republican Sen. Gail Griffin, of Hereford, says her bill asserts a landlord's power to evict someone who is not a tenant.

She said the bill stems from a case in her district where a tenant and a landlord could not get rid of an unwanted guest. Police told the landlord the unwanted guest had taken up residency and could not be removed.

Opponents say the bill would allow landlords to kick out guests for arbitrary reasons.

The House passed Senate Bill 1185 bill on a 34-25 vote Wednesday with Rep. Kate Brophy McGee as the sole Republican voting against the measure. It now moves to the Senate, which has to approve the House's changes.