Last year Los Angeles ranked as the fourth worst city in the nation for bedbug infestations. The year prior to that, we ranked second.

The greater Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, came in 16th place last year. (Chicago, by the way, is a two-time national champion. Congrats).

California has a bedbug problem. And state Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian of the San Fernando Valley is on it.

The problem is that getting rid of these things — and you'll want to get rid of these things because they suck your blood — can cost between $400 and several thousand dollars, according to Nazarian's office.

We're talking cleaning, new mattresses and total extermination. That kind of cash can equate to a serious burden in an L.A., where the median individual income is only $27,749 a year.

What's more, California law is confusing when it comes to assigning blame: Assuring clean, vermin free units is the responsibility of both tenant and landlord.

Nazarian recently announced a bill that would clearly outline the responsibilities of both parties in cases when these vampires grace your rental abode.

Tenants would be prohibited from bringing bedbug infested furnishings to a unit, and they'd have to notify landlords of an infestation within seven days of discovering it.

The legislation would prohibit landlords from renting an infested unit, and it would require them to hire a pest control company to eradicate the pests when they're known to management.

Landlords would also have to keep a pest control company on-file in case an infestation happens.

Is this a gift to the pest control industry? What do you think?

Here's what Nazarian has to say:

We need common sense steps to reduce the bedbug blight in California. Tenants and landlords must work together to eradicate these blood suckers from our homes.

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