By: Toth H.B. No. 957

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requirements for the physical presence of a borrower for signing certain documents related to a home equity loan.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 343.002(b), Finance Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Except as provided by Subchapter D, this [This] chapter does not apply to:

(1) a reverse mortgage; or

(2) an open-end account, as defined by Section 301.002.

SECTION 2. Chapter 343, Finance Code, is amended by adding Subchapter D to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. HOME EQUITY LOANS

Sec. 343.301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "home equity loan" means an extension of credit described by Section 50(a)(6), Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

Sec. 343.302. PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF CERTAIN BORROWERS AT CLOSING NOT REQUIRED. (a) This section applies to the closing of a home equity loan by a borrower who:

(1) is located outside of this state at the time of the closing and is:

(A) a member of the armed forces of the United States who is on active duty;

(B) an officer of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service who is on active duty;

(C) a member of reserve components of the armed forces of the United States not described by Paragraph (A) who is on active duty;

(D) the spouse or surviving spouse of a person described by Paragraph (A), (B), or (C); or

(E) a civilian employee of the federal government employed by, serving with, or accompanying the armed forces of the United States, if assigned to a foreign country or a vessel or unit of the armed forces of the United States;

(2) has a disability that prohibits travel or is quarantined to protect the borrower's health or the health of others, as verified by a written letter from a physician; or

(3) is unable to travel to the closing because the borrower is incarcerated or under house arrest.

(b) In lieu of closing a home equity loan in person at the office of the lender, an attorney, or a title company, a borrower described by Subsection (a) may close the loan:

(1) from a remote location using remote online notarization; or

(2) through an agent who:

(A) is acting under a durable power of attorney that expressly grants the agent the authority to engage in a home equity loan transaction on behalf of the borrower, regardless of where the borrower signed the power of attorney; and

(B) appears in person for the closing at the office of the lender, attorney, or title company on behalf of the borrower.

SECTION 3. Section 751.203(b), Estates Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) A certification described by Subsection (a) may be in the following form:

CERTIFICATION OF DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY BY AGENT

I, ___________ (agent), certify under penalty of perjury that:

1. I am the agent named in the power of attorney validly executed by ___________ (principal) ("principal") on ____________ (date), and the power of attorney is now in full force and effect.

2. The principal is not deceased and is presently domiciled in ___________ (city and state/territory or foreign country).

3. To the best of my knowledge after diligent search and inquiry:

a. The power of attorney has not been revoked by the principal or suspended or terminated by the occurrence of any event, whether or not referenced in the power of attorney;

b. At the time the power of attorney was executed, the principal was mentally competent to transact legal matters and was not acting under the undue influence of any other person;

c. A permanent guardian of the estate of the principal has not qualified to serve in that capacity;

d. My powers under the power of attorney have not been suspended by a court in a temporary guardianship or other proceeding;

e. If I am (or was) the principal's spouse, my marriage to the principal has not been dissolved by court decree of divorce or annulment or declared void by a court, or the power of attorney provides specifically that my appointment as the agent for the principal does not terminate if my marriage to the principal has been dissolved by court decree of divorce or annulment or declared void by a court;

f. No proceeding has been commenced for a temporary or permanent guardianship of the person or estate, or both, of the principal; and

g. The exercise of my authority is not prohibited by another agreement or instrument.

4. If under its terms the power of attorney becomes effective on the disability or incapacity of the principal or at a future time or on the occurrence of a contingency, the principal now has a disability or is incapacitated or the specified future time or contingency has occurred.

5. I am acting within the scope of my authority under the power of attorney, and my authority has not been altered or terminated.

6. If applicable, I am the successor to ___________ (predecessor agent), who has resigned, died, or become incapacitated, is not qualified to serve or has declined to serve as agent, or is otherwise unable to act. There are no unsatisfied conditions remaining under the power of attorney that preclude my acting as successor agent.

7. I agree not to:

a. Exercise any powers granted by the power of attorney if I attain knowledge that the power of attorney has been revoked, suspended, or terminated; or

b. Exercise any specific powers that have been revoked, suspended, or terminated.

8. A true and correct copy of the power of attorney is attached to this document.

9. If applicable and if used in connection with an extension of credit under Section 50(a)(6), Article XVI, Texas Constitution, the power of attorney was executed in the office of the lender, the office of a title company, or the law office of ____________________. Date: __________, 20__.

__________________________________ (signature of agent)

SECTION 4. Section 752.051, Estates Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 752.051. FORM. The following form is known as a "statutory durable power of attorney":

STATUTORY DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY

NOTICE: THE POWERS GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT ARE BROAD AND SWEEPING. THEY ARE EXPLAINED IN THE DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY ACT, SUBTITLE P, TITLE 2, ESTATES CODE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE POWERS, OBTAIN COMPETENT LEGAL ADVICE. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANYONE TO MAKE MEDICAL AND OTHER HEALTH-CARE DECISIONS FOR YOU. YOU MAY REVOKE THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IF YOU LATER WISH TO DO SO. IF YOU WANT YOUR AGENT TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN HOME EQUITY LOAN DOCUMENTS ON YOUR BEHALF, THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY MUST BE SIGNED BY YOU AT THE OFFICE OF THE LENDER, AN ATTORNEY AT LAW, OR A TITLE COMPANY, UNLESS YOU QUALIFY FOR AN EXCEPTION UNDER SECTION 343.302, FINANCE CODE.

You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent. Unless you specify otherwise, generally the agent's authority will continue until:

(1) you die or revoke the power of attorney;

(2) your agent resigns, is removed by court order, or is unable to act for you; or

(3) a guardian is appointed for your estate.

I, __________ (insert your name and address), appoint __________ (insert the name and address of the person appointed) as my agent to act for me in any lawful way with respect to all of the following powers that I have initialed below. (YOU MAY APPOINT CO-AGENTS. UNLESS YOU PROVIDE OTHERWISE, CO-AGENTS MAY ACT INDEPENDENTLY.)

TO GRANT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING POWERS, INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF (O) AND IGNORE THE LINES IN FRONT OF THE OTHER POWERS LISTED IN (A) THROUGH (N).

TO GRANT A POWER, YOU MUST INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF THE POWER YOU ARE GRANTING.

TO WITHHOLD A POWER, DO NOT INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF THE POWER. YOU MAY, BUT DO NOT NEED TO, CROSS OUT EACH POWER WITHHELD.

____ (A) Real property transactions, including home equity loan transactions;

____ (B) Tangible personal property transactions;

____ (C) Stock and bond transactions;

____ (D) Commodity and option transactions;

____ (E) Banking and other financial institution transactions;

____ (F) Business operating transactions;

____ (G) Insurance and annuity transactions;

____ (H) Estate, trust, and other beneficiary transactions;

____ (I) Claims and litigation;

____ (J) Personal and family maintenance;

____ (K) Benefits from social security, Medicare, Medicaid, or other governmental programs or civil or military service;

____ (L) Retirement plan transactions;

____ (M) Tax matters;

____ (N) Digital assets and the content of an electronic communication;

____ (O) ALL OF THE POWERS LISTED IN (A) THROUGH (N). YOU DO NOT HAVE TO INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF ANY OTHER POWER IF YOU INITIAL LINE (O).

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Special instructions applicable to agent compensation (initial in front of one of the following sentences to have it apply; if no selection is made, each agent will be entitled to compensation that is reasonable under the circumstances):

____ My agent is entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred on my behalf and to compensation that is reasonable under the circumstances.

____ My agent is entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred on my behalf but shall receive no compensation for serving as my agent.

Special instructions applicable to co-agents (if you have appointed co-agents to act, initial in front of one of the following sentences to have it apply; if no selection is made, each agent will be entitled to act independently):

____ Each of my co-agents may act independently for me.

____ My co-agents may act for me only if the co-agents act jointly.

____ My co-agents may act for me only if a majority of the co-agents act jointly.

Special instructions applicable to gifts (initial in front of the following sentence to have it apply): ____ I grant my agent the power to apply my property to make gifts outright to or for the benefit of a person, including by the exercise of a presently exercisable general power of appointment held by me, except that the amount of a gift to an individual may not exceed the amount of annual exclusions allowed from the federal gift tax for the calendar year of the gift.

ON THE FOLLOWING LINES YOU MAY GIVE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS LIMITING OR EXTENDING THE POWERS GRANTED TO YOUR AGENT. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

UNLESS YOU DIRECT OTHERWISE BELOW, THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL IT TERMINATES.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ALTERNATIVES BY CROSSING OUT THE ALTERNATIVE NOT CHOSEN:

(A) This power of attorney is not affected by my subsequent disability or incapacity.

(B) This power of attorney becomes effective upon my disability or incapacity.

YOU SHOULD CHOOSE ALTERNATIVE (A) IF THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE IT IS EXECUTED.

IF NEITHER (A) NOR (B) IS CROSSED OUT, IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT YOU CHOSE ALTERNATIVE (A).

If Alternative (B) is chosen and a definition of my disability or incapacity is not contained in this power of attorney, I shall be considered disabled or incapacitated for purposes of this power of attorney if a physician certifies in writing at a date later than the date this power of attorney is executed that, based on the physician's medical examination of me, I am mentally incapable of managing my financial affairs. I authorize the physician who examines me for this purpose to disclose my physical or mental condition to another person for purposes of this power of attorney. A third party who accepts this power of attorney is fully protected from any action taken under this power of attorney that is based on the determination made by a physician of my disability or incapacity.

I agree that any third party who receives a copy of this document may act under it. Termination of this durable power of attorney is not effective as to a third party until the third party has actual knowledge of the termination. I agree to indemnify the third party for any claims that arise against the third party because of reliance on this power of attorney. The meaning and effect of this durable power of attorney is determined by Texas law.

If any agent named by me dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns, refuses to act, or is removed by court order, or if my marriage to an agent named by me is dissolved by a court decree of divorce or annulment or is declared void by a court (unless I provided in this document that the dissolution or declaration does not terminate the agent's authority to act under this power of attorney), I name the following (each to act alone and successively, in the order named) as successor(s) to that agent: __________. Signed this ______ day of __________, _____________ ___________________________ (your signature) State of _______________________ County of ______________________ This document was acknowledged before me on ____________ (date) by ________________________ (name of principal) ____________________________ (signature of notarial officer) (Seal, if any, of notary) ______________________________________

(printed name) My commission expires: __________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AGENT

Agent's Duties

When you accept the authority granted under this power of attorney, you establish a "fiduciary" relationship with the principal. This is a special legal relationship that imposes on you legal duties that continue until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated, suspended, or revoked by the principal or by operation of law. A fiduciary duty generally includes the duty to:

(1) act in good faith;

(2) do nothing beyond the authority granted in this power of attorney;

(3) act loyally for the principal's benefit;

(4) avoid conflicts that would impair your ability to act in the principal's best interest; and

(5) disclose your identity as an agent when you act for the principal by writing or printing the name of the principal and signing your own name as "agent" in the following manner:

(Principal's Name) by (Your Signature) as Agent

In addition, the Durable Power of Attorney Act (Subtitle P, Title 2, Estates Code) requires you to:

(1) maintain records of each action taken or decision made on behalf of the principal;

(2) maintain all records until delivered to the principal, released by the principal, or discharged by a court; and

(3) if requested by the principal, provide an accounting to the principal that, unless otherwise directed by the principal or otherwise provided in the Special Instructions, must include:

(A) the property belonging to the principal that has come to your knowledge or into your possession;

(B) each action taken or decision made by you as agent;

(C) a complete account of receipts, disbursements, and other actions of you as agent that includes the source and nature of each receipt, disbursement, or action, with receipts of principal and income shown separately;

(D) a listing of all property over which you have exercised control that includes an adequate description of each asset and the asset's current value, if known to you;

(E) the cash balance on hand and the name and location of the depository at which the cash balance is kept;

(F) each known liability;

(G) any other information and facts known to you as necessary for a full and definite understanding of the exact condition of the property belonging to the principal; and

(H) all documentation regarding the principal's property. Termination of Agent's Authority

You must stop acting on behalf of the principal if you learn of any event that terminates or suspends this power of attorney or your authority under this power of attorney. An event that terminates this power of attorney or your authority to act under this power of attorney includes:

(1) the principal's death;

(2) the principal's revocation of this power of attorney or your authority;

(3) the occurrence of a termination event stated in this power of attorney;

(4) if you are married to the principal, the dissolution of your marriage by a court decree of divorce or annulment or declaration that your marriage is void, unless otherwise provided in this power of attorney;

(5) the appointment and qualification of a permanent guardian of the principal's estate unless a court order provides otherwise; or

(6) if ordered by a court, your removal as agent (attorney in fact) under this power of attorney. An event that suspends this power of attorney or your authority to act under this power of attorney is the appointment and qualification of a temporary guardian unless a court order provides otherwise. Liability of Agent

The authority granted to you under this power of attorney is specified in the Durable Power of Attorney Act (Subtitle P, Title 2, Estates Code). If you violate the Durable Power of Attorney Act or act beyond the authority granted, you may be liable for any damages caused by the violation or subject to prosecution for misapplication of property by a fiduciary under Chapter 32 of the Texas Penal Code.

THE AGENT, BY ACCEPTING OR ACTING UNDER THE APPOINTMENT, ASSUMES THE FIDUCIARY AND OTHER LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN AGENT.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a durable power of attorney executed on or after the effective date of this Act. A durable power of attorney executed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the power of attorney was executed, and that law continues in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, authorizing the legislature to provide for exceptions to the requirement that a home equity loan be closed only at the office of the lender, an attorney at law, or a title company is approved by the voters. If that proposed constitutional amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.