HBA-MPM H.B. 470 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 470
By: Solomons
Business & Industry
2/28/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Traveling can be a stressful time for individuals who travel on business or
for families on vacation.  An individual may arrive at a hotel to find that
the room the individual reserved and paid for or guaranteed by credit card
is no longer available.  House Bill 470 requires a hotel to give a person
with a confirmed reservation a room of equal or greater value or to find a
comparable room at another hotel and reimburse the person should the
reserved room be unavailable. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 470 amends the Business & Commerce Code to create the Texas
Tourist Rights Act.  The bill requires a hotel to reserve a specific room
for a person for the duration of the person's stay if: 

 _the reservation was made by the person or on the person's behalf at least
30 days prior to the person's arrival date; and 
 
 _the price of the room has been paid in full or payment for the price of
the room has been guaranteed by credit card. 

The bill requires that a reserved room be held on the person's behalf until
6:00 p.m. or later of the day of the person's arrival.  The hotel is
required to provide confirmation of the reservation by electronic mail
message, facsimile, or mail to the person who reserved the room within 48
hours after the reservation is made.  If the room is unavailable at the
time of the person's arrival and the person presents a reservation
confirmation to a hotel representative, the hotel is required to: 

 _give the person a room of a value equal to or greater than the room
reserved for the same price of the room originally reserved; or 
 
 _find and pay for a comparable room at another hotel for the duration of
the reservation and reimburse the person for any payment made for the
original reservation. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.