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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by |
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justice courts to the Texas Judicial Council and made accessible to |
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the public. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 71.0354 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 71.0354. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION: |
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JUSTICE COURTS. (a) As a component of the official monthly report |
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submitted to the council, a justice court shall report by category |
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each case filed in the court involving a dispute between a landlord |
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and tenant under Chapter 24, Property Code, or Title 8, Property |
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Code, including: |
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(1) eviction suits; |
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(2) suits involving the disconnection of utilities; |
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(3) repair and remedy suits; |
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(4) suits involving security deposits; |
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(5) suits involving unlawful lockouts; |
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(6) suits involving the provision of security and |
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safety devices; and |
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(7) any other category of suit involving a landlord or |
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tenant brought under Title 8, Property Code, and designated by the |
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office. |
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(b) The council may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 72.0345 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 72.0345. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION. (a) |
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The office shall publish on the public information Internet website |
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maintained by the office under Section 72.034, as added by Chapter |
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606 (S.B. 891), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, |
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2019, information on cases filed in justice courts related to |
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landlord and tenant disputes. The information must include for each |
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case: |
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(1) the justice court in which the case is filed, |
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including the precinct, municipality, and county in which the court |
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is located; |
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(2) any legal counsel or agent representing the |
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defendant; |
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(3) any legal counsel or agent representing the |
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plaintiff; and |
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(4) the disposition of the case. |
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(b) The office shall make the information required by |
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Subsection (a) available on the public information Internet website |
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in a format that is searchable by date and jurisdiction. |
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SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act: |
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(1) the Texas Judicial Council shall prescribe the |
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categories of landlord and tenant suits a justice court is required |
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to report under Section 71.0354, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act, and the procedures for reporting under that section; and |
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(2) the Office of Court Administration of the Texas |
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Judicial System shall publish in a searchable format on the public |
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information Internet website the landlord and tenant dispute |
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information as required by Section 72.0345, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 71.0354, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, a justice court is not required to report |
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landlord and tenant dispute information under that section until |
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after the Texas Judicial Council establishes the categories and |
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procedures for reporting under that section. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |