BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 1426
By: Brown (Lewis, Ron)
05-10-95
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND

Current law does not include a "door club," a steel bar that is
placed in a steel sleeve in the floor and prevents a door from
opening completely, in the list of definitions of security devices
for doors.

PURPOSE

S.B. 1426 requires a landlord to install a floor mounted bolting
security device at a tenant's request.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly
grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency or institution.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

     SECTION 1.  Amends Section 92.151, Property Code, to define
"floor mounted bolting device" as a steel sleeve in the floor, on
the inside of an in-swinging door, capable of preventing the door
from moving inward when inserted into its hole.  Requires the steel
bar to be capable of being adjusted from the inside so that the
door can be opened from the inside two inches to serve as a viewing
space while still preventing the door from being opened inwardly
further than two inches.  Redesignate existing Subdivisions (4) -
(16) as Subdivisions (5) - (17).

     SECTION 2.  Amends Section 92.157, Property Code, to require
a landlord, at a tenant's request, to install, at the landlord's
expense, a floor mounted bolting device installed in accordance at
tenant's expense.  Redesignate existing Subsections (b) and (c) as
Subsections (c) and (d).

     SECTION 3.  Establishes effective date as September 1, 1995.

     SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Amendment #1 adds a new SECTION 2 that amends 92.152 of the
Property Code.  This amendment adds to already existing language
stating that the section under this subchapter does not apply, to
a room in a hotel, motel, or inn or similar transient housing; (2)
residential housing owned or operated by a public or private
accredited college or university; (3) residential housing operated
by accredited preparatory schools, a regional accrediting agency,
or any recognized accrediting agency or, 

Subsection (4) is added to include a temporary residential tenancy
created by a contract for the sale of real estate in which the
buyer occupies the property prior to closing or the seller occupies
the property prior to closing or the seller occupies the property
after closing for a contemplated term not to exceed 90 days.

This amendment amends Subsection (b) to provide technical
corrections that correspond with the new language provided under
Subsection (a) of this Section.     

Renumbers subsequent SECTIONS accordingly. 

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

S.B. 1426 was considered by the committee in a formal meeting on
May 10, 1995.  One (1) committee amendment was offered to S.B.
1426.  Without objection, committee amendment #1 was adopted.  S.B.
1426 was reported favorably, as amended to the full house with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of
7 (seven) ayes, 0 (zero) nays, 0 (zero) present-not-voting, and 2
(two) absent.