By Pitts H.B. No. 2163 77R6434 AJA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to forcible entry and detainer and forcible detainer 1-3 suits. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 24.004, Property Code, is amended to read 1-6 as follows: 1-7 Sec. 24.004. JURISDICTION; TIME FOR HEARING. (a) A justice 1-8 court in the precinct in which the real property is located has 1-9 jurisdiction in eviction suits. Eviction suits include forcible 1-10 entry and detainer and forcible detainer suits. 1-11 (b) Not later than the seventh day after the date a petition 1-12 is filed in a suit described by Subsection (a), the court shall set 1-13 a date for a hearing on the petition. 1-14 SECTION 2. Section 24.0061(d), Property Code, is amended to 1-15 read as follows: 1-16 (d) The writ of possession shall order the officer executing 1-17 the writ to: 1-18 (1) post a written warning of at least 8 1/2 by 11 1-19 inches on the exterior of the front door of the rental unit 1-20 notifying the tenant that the writ has been issued and that the 1-21 writ will be executed on or after a specific date and time stated 1-22 in the warning not sooner than 24 hours or later than 72 hours 1-23 after the warning is posted; and 1-24 (2) when the writ is executed: 2-1 (A) deliver possession of the premises to the 2-2 landlord; 2-3 (B) instruct the tenant and all persons claiming 2-4 under the tenant to leave the premises immediately, and, if the 2-5 persons fail to comply, physically remove them; 2-6 (C) instruct the tenant to remove or to allow 2-7 the landlord, the landlord's representatives, or other persons 2-8 acting under the officer's supervision to remove all personal 2-9 property from the rental unit other than personal property claimed 2-10 to be owned by the landlord; and 2-11 (D) place, or have an authorized person place, 2-12 the removed personal property outside the rental unit at a nearby 2-13 location, but not blocking a public sidewalk, passageway, or street 2-14 and not while it is raining, sleeting, or snowing. 2-15 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 2-16 applies only to a forcible entry and detainer or forcible detainer 2-17 suit filed on or after that date. A suit filed before September 1, 2-18 2001, is governed by the law in effect immediately before that 2-19 date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.