By Williamson H.B. No. 2357 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the responsibility of parents to provide compensation 1-3 and reimbursement for expenses and damages to hotels caused by 1-4 juvenile behavior, including delinquent conduct. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Family Code, is amended by adding 1-7 Section 33.10 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 33.10. LIABILITY IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING HOTELS. 1-9 (a) In this section: 1-10 (1) "Innkeeper" means an owner, operator, or manager 1-11 of a hotel as assigned by Section 156.001, Tax Code. 1-12 (2) "Juvenile" means a person who is at least 12 years 1-13 of age but under 18 years of age. 1-14 (b) An innkeeper may require the parent of a juvenile to: 1-15 (1) agree in writing to be liable for the guest room 1-16 costs, taxes, all charges incurred by the juvenile and any damages 1-17 to the guest room or its furnishings caused by the juvenile while a 1-18 guest at the hotel; 1-19 (2) provide the innkeeper with a valid credit card 1-20 number to pay for the guest rooms costs, taxes, charges by the 1-21 juvenile and any damages to the guest room or its furnishings 1-22 caused by the juvenile; or 1-23 (3) give the innkeeper an advance cash payment to 2-1 cover the guest room cost and taxes for all room nights reserved 2-2 for the juvenile and a refundable cash deposit applicable towards 2-3 the payment of any additional charges of the juvenile or any 2-4 damages to the guest room or its furnishings caused by the 2-5 juvenile. 2-6 (c) An innkeeper shall have the right to refuse or deny 2-7 accommodations, facilities or privileges of a hotel to any person 2-8 who is unwilling to comply with conditions established in 2-9 accordance with Subsection (b) of this section. 2-10 (d) A hotel may limit the number of persons who may occupy a 2-11 guest room of the hotel. 2-12 (e) An innkeeper who denies accommodations, facilities, or 2-13 privileges of a hotel solely for a guest's refusal to comply with 2-14 conditions established in accordance with Subsection (b) of this 2-15 section shall not be liable in any civil or criminal action or any 2-16 fine or penalty based on the refusal or denial, except that in no 2-17 event shall the denial be based upon the race, creed, color, 2-18 national origin, sex, or disability of a person. 2-19 (f) In an action involving damage to a hotel room or its 2-20 furnishings, the court may order the responsible party or the 2-21 parent of the responsible party, if the responsible party is a 2-22 juvenile, to: 2-23 (1) pay restitution for any damages suffered by the 2-24 owner of the hotel, including loss of revenue resulting from the 2-25 inability of the innkeeper to rent or lease the room during the 3-1 period of time the repairs are being made; and 3-2 (2) pay damages or restitution to any other person who 3-3 is injured or whose property is damaged. 3-4 (g) An innkeeper may eject from the hotel: 3-5 (1) a juvenile who is engaged in delinquent or 3-6 disorderly behavior; 3-7 (2) a juvenile who is visibly intoxicated so as to 3-8 create a public nuisance; 3-9 (3) a juvenile the innkeeper reasonably believes is 3-10 using the hotel for purposes that are in violation of any federal, 3-11 state, or local law; or 3-12 (4) a person who is violating any rule of the hotel 3-13 which is posted in the hotel, except that no rule may authorize the 3-14 innkeeper to eject, refuse, or deny service or accommodations to 3-15 any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, or 3-16 disability. 3-17 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 3-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.