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.