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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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courts to the Texas Judicial Council and made accessible to the |
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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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COURTS. (a) As a component of the official monthly report |
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submitted under Section 71.035, a court with original or appellate |
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jurisdiction over landlord and tenant disputes shall report by |
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category each case filed in the court under Chapter 24, Property |
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Code, or Title 8, Property 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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council. |
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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 publicly accessible Internet |
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website the office maintains information on landlord and tenant |
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dispute cases filed in courts in this state. The information must |
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include for each case: |
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(1) the court in which the case is filed, including the |
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precinct and county where the court is located; |
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(2) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing |
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the defendant; |
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(3) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing |
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the 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 Internet website in a format that is |
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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 court is required to |
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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 |
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publicly accessible Internet website the office maintains the |
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landlord and tenant dispute information as required by Section |
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72.0345, Government Code, as 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 court is not required to report landlord and |
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tenant dispute information under that section until after the Texas |
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Judicial Council establishes the categories and procedures for |
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reporting under that section. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |