| 1 | 1 | | 88R8831 DRS-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Talarico H.B. No. 3269 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the right of a residential tenant to summon police or |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | emergency assistance. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 250, Local Government Code, is amended |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | by adding Section 250.014 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 250.014. REGULATION OF TENANT'S RIGHT TO SUMMON POLICE |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding any other law, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | a political subdivision may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | order, or other regulation that: |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (1) requires a landlord to evict a residential tenant |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | who summons police or emergency assistance to the tenant's |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | residence more than a specified number of times; or |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (2) imposes a fee or monetary or other penalties on a |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | landlord based on requests by a tenant for police or emergency |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | assistance if the assistance was requested or dispatched based on |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | the tenant's reasonable belief that an individual was in need of |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | intervention or emergency assistance. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 92.015(a), Property Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (a) A landlord may not: |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (1) prohibit or limit a residential tenant's right to |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | summon police or other emergency assistance based on the tenant's |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | reasonable belief that an individual is in need of intervention or |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | emergency assistance; [or] |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (2) impose monetary or other penalties on a tenant who |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | summons police or emergency assistance if the assistance was |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | requested or dispatched based on the tenant's reasonable belief |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | that an individual was in need of intervention or emergency |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | assistance; or |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (3) evict or threaten to evict a tenant not otherwise |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | in default who summons police or emergency assistance if the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | assistance was requested or dispatched based on the tenant's |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | reasonable belief that an individual was in need of intervention or |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | emergency assistance. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|