84R3252 LED-F
 
  By: Garcia, Watson S.B. No. 1473
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to liability of persons who lease dwellings to persons
  with criminal records.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is
  amended by adding Section 92.025 to read as follows:
         Sec. 92.025.  LIABILITY FOR LEASING TO PERSON WITH CRIMINAL
  RECORD. (a) A cause of action does not accrue against a landlord
  solely for leasing a dwelling to a tenant, based on evidence that
  the tenant has been convicted of, or arrested or placed on deferred
  adjudication for, an offense.
         (b)  This section does not preclude a cause of action for
  negligent leasing of a dwelling by a landlord to a tenant, if:
               (1)  the tenant:
                     (A)  was convicted of an offense listed in Section
  3g, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
                     (B)  has a reportable conviction or adjudication,
  as defined by Article 62.001, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
               (2)  the landlord knew or should have known of the
  conviction or adjudication.
         (c)  This section does not create a cause of action or expand
  an existing cause of action.
         SECTION 2.  Section 92.025, Property Code, as added by this
  Act, does not affect a cause of action that accrued before the
  effective date of this Act. A cause of action that accrued before
  the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed
  immediately before that date, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.