# 119-hr-4096: Financial Empowerment and Protection Act

119-hr-4096, Financial Empowerment and Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4096
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-4096
- Congress: 119
- Title: Financial Empowerment and Protection Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-06-24
- Sponsor: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**A right for consenting cohabiting adults to open joint accounts with certain covered entities.** The bill would create a consumer-access policy that requires covered entities to allow consenting adults who live together to open joint accounts and sets related privacy, information-sharing, enforcement, and liability rules. It would also ban fees for early lease termination for victims of domestic violence as described in the Violence Against Women Act. - Families and couples: Cohabiting adults could open joint accounts when both consent. This creates a clearer path for shared access and privacy protections. - Survivors of domestic violence: People who meet protections under the Violence Against Women Act could end a lease early without paying an early termination fee. - Covered entities: Entities subject to the bill would face new duties on account access and data sharing and could face enforcement and liability for violations.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] (R-VA), 2025-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2025-06-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Joint service accounts for cohabiting adults: benefit, low. This bill would let two consenting adults who live together open a joint account with many service providers, including utilities, internet/phone, landlords, childcare providers, mortgage companies, TV providers, sanitary landfill operators, and creditors. Both adults would have to agree, and both…
- No exit fees for victims in assisted housing: benefit, low. Applicants or tenants in assisted housing who leave a lease early due to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking would not be charged an exit fee. This would apply even if the lease says otherwise. It would take effect upon enactment.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-4096 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4096)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-4206: CONNECT for Health Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4206)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4096 (as of 2026-04-21).