A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to preempt any squatter's rights established by State law regarding real property owned by a member of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by Ashley Moody

The bill would preempt state squatter’s rights on real property owned by servicemembers, strengthening federal SCRA protections against occupancy claims.

Introduced in Senate

Summary of Bill: S. 4910 (119th Congress)

Purpose and intent

The bill proposes to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to preempt any “squatter’s rights” established by state law concerning real property owned by a member of the uniformed services.

In short, it aims to ensure that state-established rights of possession or occupancy by tenants or others who occupy property owned by servicemembers do not apply or conflict with the protections provided to servicemembers under federal law.

Key provisions and changes (high level)

Preemption of state squatter’s rights: The bill would override or supersede state laws that grant or recognize rights of occupancy or possession (often referred to as squatter’s rights) with respect to real property owned by a servicemember who is covered by the SCRA.

Alignment with SCRA protections: The change seeks to strengthen and clarify federal protections for servicemembers regarding real property, potentially affecting eviction timelines, property management, or occupancy disputes that could arise while a servicemember is deployed or separated from duty.

Scope of applicability: Applies specifically to real property (land and buildings) owned by members of the uniformed services who are protected by the SCRA, and to situations where state law might otherwise grant occupancy or possession rights to others.

Who and what is affected

Beneficiaries: Servicemembers and veterans who own real property and are protected under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

Affected parties: State governments and individuals who might claim occupancy or squatter-type rights on property owned by a servicemember, including tenants or others who could otherwise gain occupancy rights under state law.

Government agencies: The bill references the federal SCRA framework, with emphasis on preemption over conflicting state law; likely involves the departments charged with enforcing SCRA (e.g., Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Justice, and relevant agencies).

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and referral: The bill was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs on June 24, 2026.

Action history: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs on the same date. No further committee actions or floor actions are listed in the provided history.

Sponsors: Co-sponsor listed is Ashley Moody.

Practical implications

For servicemembers: Potentially greater protection against occupancy disputes related to their property, especially during deployment or service-related absences.

For landlords and occupiers: State-law-based occupancy claims that would conflict with the federal SCRA would be preempted, potentially limiting defenses or claims available under some state statutes.

for states: The bill would reduce the force of state-based squatter’s rights claims in contexts involving servicemember-owned property, requiring adherence to federal SCRA preemption.

Note

The summary above reflects the bill’s stated purpose and the information available in the action history. As introduced, details such as exact statutory language, specific definitions (e.g., what constitutes “squatter’s rights” in this context), penalties or enforcement mechanisms, and any transition rules would be clarified in the text of the bill and any accompanying committee reports.