By:  Staples                                                      S.B. No. 1832


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to flood insurance notice to residential tenants.                    
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is 
amended by adding Section 92.015 to read as follows:
	Sec. 92.015.  DISCLOSURE REGARDING FLOOD COVERAGE IN 
RENTER'S INSURANCE.
	(a)  Before entering into an oral or written lease with 
tenant for rental of a dwelling, a landlord or landlord's agent must 
give written notice to the tenant, in the lease or by separate 
document, as follows:
		NOTICE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW:  The property owner's 
insurance cannot provide coverage for your personal 
property.  Renter's insurance that you purchase can 
cover losses due to theft, fire, etc., but it may not 
cover flood damage.  Flood insurance for your personal 
property can be purchased from the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency through licensed property insurance 
agents.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2004, and 
applies only to a lease initially executed on or after that date.  
Any lease initially executed before September 1, 2004, is governed 
by the law existing at that time, and the former law is continued in 
effect for that purpose.