BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2013

By: Bell, Cecil

Agriculture & Livestock

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that some property owners' associations (POA) have provisions in their dedicatory instruments that prohibit a property owner from keeping chickens, even though the applicable municipality may permit the practice with specific restrictions concerning the total number of chickens, their housing, required distance from neighboring properties, and whether roosters are allowed. The bill author has further informed the committee that residents who live in a POA and wish to change a restrictive covenant to allow chickens on their property may face a high burden in needing approval from their fellow POA members. H.B. 2013 seeks to ensure that property owners who reside in a municipality that permits them to keep chickens are allowed to do so by prohibiting certain POAs from prohibiting or restricting the keeping of chickens.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2013 amends the Property Code to prohibit a property owners' association from including or enforcing a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner from keeping chickens on the owner's property, if a municipal ordinance authorizes the property owner to keep chickens on the property.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.