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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to liability of persons who lease dwellings to persons |
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with criminal records. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 92.025 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 92.025. LIABILITY FOR LEASING TO PERSON WITH CRIMINAL |
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RECORD. (a) A cause of action does not accrue against a landlord |
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solely for leasing a dwelling to a tenant, based on evidence that |
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the tenant has been convicted of, or arrested or placed on deferred |
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adjudication for, an offense. |
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(b) This section does not preclude a cause of action for |
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negligent leasing of a dwelling by a landlord to a tenant, if: |
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(1) the tenant: |
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(A) was convicted of an offense listed in Section |
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3g, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure; or |
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(B) has a reportable conviction or adjudication, |
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as defined by Article 62.001, Code of Criminal Procedure; and |
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(2) the landlord knew or should have known of the |
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conviction or adjudication. |
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(c) This section does not create a cause of action or expand |
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an existing cause of action. |
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SECTION 2. Section 92.025, Property Code, as added by this |
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Act, does not affect a cause of action that accrued before the |
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effective date of this Act. A cause of action that accrued before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed |
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immediately before that date, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |