87R2204 BEE-F
 
  By: Miles S.B. No. 754
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the amendment of a dedicatory instrument to remove a
  discriminatory provision.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 11, Property Code, is amended by adding
  Chapter 216 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 216. AMENDMENT OF DEDICATORY INSTRUMENT TO REMOVE
  DISCRIMINATORY PROVISION
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 216.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Dedicatory instrument," "petition," "property
  owners' association," and "restrictive covenant" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 202.001.
               (2)  "Discriminatory provision" means a restrictive
  covenant, whether express or incorporated by reference, that:
                     (A)  prohibits the use by or the sale, lease, or
  transfer of real property or an interest in real property to a
  person because of race, color, religion, or national origin; and
                     (B)  is void under Section 5.026.
         Sec. 216.002.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter
  applies to any dedicatory instrument, regardless of the date on
  which the instrument was recorded.
         Sec. 216.003.  CONFLICTS WITH OTHER LAW.  To the extent of
  any conflict between this chapter and any other provision of this
  code, this chapter prevails.
         Sec. 216.004.  CERTAIN AMENDMENTS VOID. An amendment to a
  dedicatory instrument under this chapter that amends a provision
  other than a discriminatory provision is void.
  SUBCHAPTER B. PROPERTY SUBJECT TO PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION
         Sec. 216.011.  REMOVAL OF DISCRIMINATORY PROVISION BY
  PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION.  (a)  The governing body of a property
  owners' association may amend a dedicatory instrument to remove a
  discriminatory provision by a majority vote of the governing body:
               (1)  on its own motion; or 
               (2)  on the motion of a member of the property owners'
  association.
         (b)  An amendment adopted under this section is effective if
  the amendment:
               (1)  indicates that the amendment is adopted under
  authority of this section by specifically referring to this
  section;
               (2)  is signed by a majority of the governing body; and
               (3)  is filed in the real property records of each
  county in which property subject to the discriminatory provision is
  located.
         Sec. 216.012.  REMOVAL OF DISCRIMINATORY PROVISION BY
  OWNERS. (a) This section applies only to a dedicatory instrument
  that contains provisions for the circulation of a petition by the
  owners of property in the subdivision or development to amend the
  dedicatory instrument.
         (b)  The governing body of a property owners' association
  shall amend a dedicatory instrument to remove a discriminatory
  provision if a petition to remove the provision:
               (1)  is circulated in accordance with the provisions of
  the dedicatory instrument; and
               (2)  without regard to any threshold for approval of a
  petition established by the dedicatory instrument, is approved by
  the owners of at least 10 percent of the total number of lots or
  units subject to the dedicatory instrument.
         (c)  An amendment adopted under this section is effective if
  the amendment:
               (1)  indicates that the amendment is adopted under
  authority of this section by specifically referring to this
  section; and
               (2)  is filed in the real property records of each
  county in which property subject to the dedicatory instrument is
  located.
  SUBCHAPTER C. PROPERTY NOT SUBJECT TO PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION
         Sec. 216.021.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
  applies only to a dedicatory instrument that does not establish a
  property owners' association.
         Sec. 216.022.  AMENDMENT TO REMOVE DISCRIMINATORY
  PROVISION. An amendment may be filed in accordance with this
  subchapter to amend a dedicatory instrument to remove a
  discriminatory provision.
         Sec. 216.023.  AMENDMENT COMMITTEE. (a)  Three or more
  owners of property subject to a dedicatory instrument that contains
  a discriminatory provision may form an amendment committee for the
  sole purpose of amending the dedicatory instrument to remove the
  discriminatory provision.
         (b)  Only one amendment committee may operate under this
  subchapter at one time. If more than one committee files notice of
  the committee's formation for the same property subject to a
  dedicatory instrument, the first committee that files a notice in
  compliance with Section 216.024 has the authority to act under this
  subchapter.
         Sec. 216.024.  NOTICE OF AMENDMENT COMMITTEE FORMATION. (a)
  An amendment committee formed under Section 216.023 shall file
  written notice of the committee's formation with the county clerk
  of each county in which property subject to the dedicatory
  instrument is located.
         (b)  The notice of the amendment committee's formation must
  contain:
               (1)  a statement that an amendment committee has been
  formed to amend a dedicatory instrument to remove a discriminatory
  provision;
               (2)  the name and residential address of each amendment
  committee member; 
               (3)  a reference to the real property records or map or
  plat records where the dedicatory instrument that contains the
  discriminatory provision sought to be removed is recorded and the
  name of the subdivision or development, as applicable; and
               (4)  a copy of the proposed amendment to the dedicatory
  instrument that indicates the deletion of the discriminatory
  provision from the original restrictive covenant or that restates
  the original restrictive covenant without the discriminatory
  provision.
         (c)  Before filing the notice of the amendment committee's
  formation under Subsection (a), each amendment committee member
  must sign and acknowledge the notice before a notary or other
  official authorized to take acknowledgments.
         (d)  A county clerk who receives a notice of an amendment
  committee's formation under Subsection (a) shall enter the filing
  date and record the notice in the county's real property records.
         Sec. 216.025.  NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNERS. (a) Not later
  than the 30th day after the date notice of the amendment committee's
  formation is filed with the county clerk, the amendment committee
  shall provide a copy of the notice of the amendment committee's
  formation to the owners of property subject to the dedicatory
  instrument.
         (b)  Notice may be provided under Subsection (a) by:
               (1)  publishing a copy of the notice of the amendment
  committee's formation at least once a week for two consecutive
  weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in each county in which
  property subject to the dedicatory instrument is located;
               (2)  mailing a copy of the notice of the amendment
  committee's formation by first class mail to the owner of each lot
  or unit subject to the dedicatory instrument as of the date the
  notice is given; or
               (3)  posting a copy of the notice of the amendment
  committee's formation in a conspicuous manner reasonably designed
  to provide notice to owners of property subject to the dedicatory
  instrument, including:
                     (A)  in a common area or at an entrance to the
  subdivision or development;
                     (B)  with the consent of the owner, on
  conspicuously located private property; or
                     (C)  on any Internet website maintained by the
  subdivision or development or other Internet media.
         Sec. 216.026.  OBJECTION TO AMENDMENT BY PROPERTY OWNERS.
  (a) The owner of property subject to a dedicatory instrument
  proposed to be amended under a notice of an amendment committee's
  formation may file an objection to the proposed amendment.
         (b)  An objection under Subsection (a) is effective only if
  the objection is:
               (1)  signed by the owners of at least 25 percent of the
  units or lots subject to the dedicatory instrument proposed to be
  amended; and
               (2)  filed with the county clerk of each county in which
  the notice of the amendment committee's formation was filed not
  later than the 90th day after the date the notice of the amendment
  committee's formation was filed with the county clerk.
         Sec. 216.027.  EFFECTIVE DATE OF AMENDMENT. If an objection
  is not filed in accordance with Section 216.026, the proposed
  amendment contained in the notice of the amendment committee's
  formation filed under Section 216.024(a) becomes effective on the
  date the notice is filed.
         Sec. 216.028.  DISSOLUTION OF COMMITTEE. (a)  A committee
  that does not file an amendment to a dedicatory instrument before
  the 120th day after the date the notice of the amendment committee's
  formation is filed with the county clerk is dissolved.
         (b)  An amendment filed by a dissolved committee is void.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.