By:  Gallegos                                                     S.B. No. 439


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eviction suits in justice courts.                                 
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 24.0051, Property Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c)  In a suit to recover possession of the premises, whether 
or not unpaid rent is claimed, the citation required by Rule 739, 
Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, must include the following notice 
to the defendant:
	FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR TRIAL MAY RESULT IN A DEFAULT JUDGMENT BEING 
ENTERED AGAINST YOU.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to a suit to recover possession of premises filed on or after the 
effective date of this Act.  A suit filed before the effective date 
of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that 
date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.