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.
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