By Wise                                               H.B. No. 2523
         76R7031 WP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to home security system contracts.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 35, Business & Commerce
 1-5     Code, is amended by adding Section 35.55 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 35.55.  CONTRACT FOR HOME SECURITY SYSTEM.  (a)  A
 1-7     contract for the sale or maintenance of a home security system
 1-8     shall be for a term that does not exceed three years.
 1-9           (b)  A contract for the sale or maintenance of a home
1-10     security system must:
1-11                 (1)  be in writing;
1-12                 (2)  state the name of the person providing or
1-13     maintaining the home security system; and
1-14                 (3)  state the term of the contract and details of any
1-15     maintenance agreement provided, including a description and
1-16     specifications of the services to be furnished.
1-17           (c)  A violation of this section by a person providing or
1-18     maintaining a home security system is a false, misleading, or
1-19     deceptive act or practice under Subchapter E, Chapter 17, and any
1-20     public or private  right or remedy prescribed by that subchapter
1-21     may be used to enforce this section.
1-22           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-23     The change in law made by this Act applies only to a contract
1-24     formed on or after the effective date of this Act.
 2-1           (b)  A contract formed before the effective date of this Act
 2-2     is covered by the law in effect when the contract was formed, and
 2-3     the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.