1-1     By:  Hill (Senate Sponsor - Lucio)                    H.B. No. 2408
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-4     Affairs; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to notice to tenants of certain changes in policy by a
 1-9     landlord.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is
1-12     amended by adding Section 92.013 to read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 92.013.  NOTICE OF RULE OR POLICY CHANGE AFFECTING
1-14     TENANT'S PERSONAL PROPERTY.  (a)  A landlord shall give prior
1-15     written notice to a tenant regarding a landlord rule or policy
1-16     change that is not included in the lease agreement and that will
1-17     affect any personal property owned by the tenant that is located
1-18     outside the tenant's dwelling, including any change in vehicle
1-19     towing rules or policies.
1-20           (b)  The notice must be given in person or by mail to the
1-21     affected tenant.  Notice in person may be by personal delivery to
1-22     the tenant or any person residing at the tenant's dwelling who is
1-23     16 years of age or older or by personal delivery to the tenant's
1-24     dwelling and affixing the notice to the inside of the main entry
1-25     door.  Notice by mail may be by regular mail, by registered mail,
1-26     or by certified mail, return receipt requested.  If the dwelling
1-27     has no mailbox and has a keyless bolting device, alarm system, or
1-28     dangerous animal that prevents the landlord from entering the
1-29     premises to leave the notice on the inside of the main entry door,
1-30     the landlord may securely affix the notice on the outside of the
1-31     main entry door.
1-32           (c)  A landlord who fails to give notice as required by this
1-33     section is liable to the tenant for any expense incurred by the
1-34     tenant as a result of the landlord's failure to give the notice.
1-35           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-36           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-37     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-38     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-39     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-40     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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