By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 478
(Thompson of Harris)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the promulgation of certain forms for use in
landlord-tenant matters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.019 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.019. PROMULGATION OF CERTAIN LANDLORD-TENANT
FORMS. (a) The supreme court shall, as the court finds
appropriate, promulgate forms for use by individuals representing
themselves in residential landlord-tenant matters and instructions
for the proper use of each form or set of forms.
(b) The forms and instructions must:
(1) be written in plain language that is easy to
understand by the general public;
(2) clearly and conspicuously state that the form is
not a substitute for the advice of an attorney;
(3) be made readily available to the general public in
the manner prescribed by the supreme court; and
(4) be translated into the Spanish language, and the
Spanish language translation of the form must either:
(A) state that the Spanish language-translated
form is to be used solely for the purpose of assisting in
understanding the form and may not be submitted to the court, and
that the English version of the form must be submitted to the court;
or
(B) be incorporated into the English language
form in a manner that is understandable to both the court and
members of the public.
(c) The clerk of a court shall inform members of the public
of the availability of the form as appropriate and make the form
available free of charge.
(d) A court shall accept a form promulgated by the supreme
court under this section unless the form has been completed in a
manner that causes a substantive defect that cannot be cured.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.