The Georgia legislature has passed a bill requiring out-of-state landlords to employ at least one in-state staffer to handle tenant complaints, according to reports.

The bill, House Bill 399, is headed to Governor Brian Kemp for signature.

The bill says, “Any landlord that is not a resident of this state that owns or operates single-family or duplex rental properties in this state” must employ at least one in-state agent, “who shall be responsible for receiving, coordinating, managing, and responding to” renters’ maintenance concerns.”

Reports say the bipartisan measure to require out-of-state landlords to hire in-state staff materialized in response to a surge of big institutional investors buying up residential housing in Georgia.

That has driven up rent prices, and investors’ habit of camouflaging themselves with shell companies has made it difficult for tenants to get maintenance concerns addressed.

Even so, HB 399 is the only legislation to regulate institutional investor activity