| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a pilot program to disburse payments to residential |
|
|
landlords when tenants terminate leases following family violence, |
|
|
certain sex offenses, or stalking. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 92.0165 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 92.0165. PILOT PROGRAM TO DISBURSE PAYMENTS TO CERTAIN |
|
|
LANDLORDS. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of Housing |
|
|
and Community Affairs. |
|
|
(2) "Pilot program" means the pilot program |
|
|
established by this section. |
|
|
(b) The department by rule shall establish and implement a |
|
|
pilot program to disburse a payment to a landlord in an amount equal |
|
|
to one month's rent under a terminated lease if the tenant |
|
|
terminates the lease and vacates the dwelling before the end of the |
|
|
lease term under Section 92.016 or 92.0161. |
|
|
(c) The department shall adopt rules to govern the |
|
|
implementation and administration of the pilot program. Rules |
|
|
adopted under this subsection must provide that payments disbursed |
|
|
under the pilot program accomplish the public purpose of ensuring |
|
|
the safety and protection of victims of conduct described by |
|
|
Section 71.004, Family Code, or Sections 92.0161(c) and (c-1) of |
|
|
this code and that the state receives a return benefit. |
|
|
(d) The department may contract with a third party for the |
|
|
development of online services necessary to implement the pilot |
|
|
program. |
|
|
(e) A landlord may apply to participate in the pilot program |
|
|
in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the department. |
|
|
(f) In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, |
|
|
the department may accept gifts, grants, or donations from any |
|
|
source to administer and finance the pilot program. |
|
|
(g) Not later than January 1, 2029, the department shall |
|
|
prepare and submit to the legislature a report documenting the |
|
|
outcomes of the pilot program. The report: |
|
|
(1) must include: |
|
|
(A) the number of landlords who participated in |
|
|
the pilot program; |
|
|
(B) the total amount disbursed under the pilot |
|
|
program, disaggregated by individual disbursements; and |
|
|
(C) the geographic location, including |
|
|
identifiable geographic trends, of eligible landlords that |
|
|
received a disbursement; and |
|
|
(2) may not contain any personally identifying |
|
|
information of a tenant that terminates a lease and vacates a |
|
|
dwelling before the end of the lease term under Section 92.016 or |
|
|
92.0161. |
|
|
(h) Notwithstanding Section 92.0161(j), a landlord may |
|
|
disclose information received under Section 92.0161(c), (c-1), or |
|
|
(d) to the department to the extent prescribed by department rule |
|
|
for purposes of the pilot program. Information provided to the |
|
|
department under this section that identifies or tends to identify |
|
|
a vacating tenant or crime victim described by Section 92.016 or |
|
|
92.0161 is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter |
|
|
552, Government Code. |
|
|
(i) The pilot program concludes and this section expires |
|
|
September 1, 2029. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the Texas |
|
|
Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall adopt rules |
|
|
necessary to administer the pilot program established under Section |
|
|
92.0165, Property Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |