By: Nelson  S.B. No. 946
         (In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2013; March 12, 2013,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
  March 27, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 5,
  Nays 0; March 27, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the right to terminate a lease and avoid liability by a
  victim of certain sexual offenses or stalking.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 92.0161, Property Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 92.0161.  RIGHT TO VACATE AND AVOID LIABILITY FOLLOWING
  CERTAIN SEX OFFENSES OR STALKING.
         SECTION 2.  Section 92.0161, Property Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (b), (c), (d), and (g) and adding Subsections
  (c-1), (i), and (j) to read as follows:
         (b)  A tenant may terminate the tenant's rights and
  obligations under a lease and may vacate the dwelling and avoid
  liability for future rent and any other sums due under the lease for
  terminating the lease and vacating the dwelling before the end of
  the lease term after the tenant complies with Subsection (c) or
  (c-1).
         (c)  If the tenant is a victim [of sexual assault] or a parent
  or guardian of a victim of sexual assault under Section 22.011,
  Penal Code, aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021, Penal
  Code, indecency with a child under Section 21.11, Penal Code,
  sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25, Penal Code, [or]
  continuous sexual abuse of a child under Section 21.02, Penal Code,
  or an attempt to commit any of the foregoing offenses under Section
  15.01, Penal Code, that takes place during the preceding six-month
  period on the premises or at any dwelling on the premises, the
  tenant shall provide to the landlord or the landlord's agent a copy
  of:
               (1)  documentation of the assault or abuse, or
  attempted assault or abuse, of the victim from a licensed health
  care services provider who examined the victim;
               (2)  documentation of the assault or abuse, or
  attempted assault or abuse, of the victim from a licensed mental
  health services provider who examined or evaluated the victim;
               (3)  documentation of the assault or abuse, or
  attempted assault or abuse, of the victim from an individual
  authorized under Chapter 420, Government Code, who provided
  services to the victim; or
               (4)  documentation of a protective order issued under
  Chapter 7A, Code of Criminal Procedure, except for a temporary ex
  parte order.
         (c-1)  If the tenant is a victim or a parent or guardian of a
  victim of stalking under Section 42.072, Penal Code, that takes
  place during the preceding six-month period on the premises or at
  any dwelling on the premises, the tenant shall provide to the
  landlord or the landlord's agent a copy of:
               (1)  documentation of a protective order issued under
  Chapter 7A or Article 6.09, Code of Criminal Procedure, except for a
  temporary ex parte order; or
               (2)  documentation of the stalking from a provider of
  services described by Subsection (c)(1), (2), or (3) and:
                     (A)  a law enforcement incident report; or
                     (B)  if a law enforcement incident report is
  unavailable, another record maintained in the ordinary course of
  business by a law enforcement agency.
         (d)  A tenant may exercise the rights to terminate the lease
  under Subsection (b), vacate the dwelling before the end of the
  lease term, and avoid liability beginning on the date after all of
  the following events have occurred:
               (1)  the tenant provides a copy of the relevant
  documentation described by Subsection (c) or (c-1) to the landlord;
               (2)  the tenant provides written notice of termination
  of the lease to the landlord on or before the 30th day before the
  date the lease terminates;
               (3)  the 30th day after the date the tenant provided
  notice under Subdivision (2) expires; and
               (4)  the tenant vacates the dwelling.
         (g)  A tenant who terminates a lease under Subsection (b) is
  released from all liability for any delinquent, unpaid rent owed to
  the landlord by the tenant on the effective date of the lease
  termination if the lease does not contain language substantially
  equivalent to the following:
         "Tenants may have special statutory rights to terminate the
  lease early in certain situations involving certain sexual offenses
  or stalking [assault or sexual abuse]."
         (i)  For purposes of Subsections (c) and (c-1), a tenant who
  is a parent or guardian of a victim described by those subsections
  must reside with the victim to exercise the rights established by
  this section.
         (j)  A person who receives information under Subsection (c),
  (c-1), or (d) may not disclose the information to any other person
  except for a legitimate or customary business purpose or as
  otherwise required by law.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
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