1-1 By: Grusendorf, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 3182 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 1999; 1-3 May 7, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-4 Affairs; May 12, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 12, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to procedures applicable in a suit filed by a landlord to 1-9 evict a tenant and recover unpaid rent. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Chapter 24, Property Code, is amended by adding 1-12 Section 24.0051 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 24.0051. PROCEDURES APPLICABLE IN SUIT TO EVICT AND 1-14 RECOVER UNPAID RENT. (a) In a suit filed in justice court in 1-15 which the landlord files a sworn statement seeking judgment against 1-16 a tenant for possession of the premises and unpaid rent, personal 1-17 service on the tenant or service on the tenant under Rule 742a, 1-18 Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, is procedurally sufficient to 1-19 support a default judgment for possession of the premises and 1-20 unpaid rent. 1-21 (b) A landlord may recover unpaid rent under this section 1-22 regardless of whether the tenant vacated the premises after the 1-23 date the landlord filed the sworn statement and before the date the 1-24 court renders judgment. 1-25 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-26 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-27 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-28 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-29 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-30 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-31 * * * * *