| 1 | 1 | | 88R8801 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: West S.B. No. 974 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to prohibiting the requirement of cable or Internet |
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| 8 | 8 | | service in certain residential leases. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 92.027 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 92.027. CABLE OR INTERNET SERVICE REQUIREMENT |
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| 13 | 13 | | PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "multiunit complex" has the |
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| 14 | 14 | | meaning assigned by Section 92.151. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) A lease for a unit in a multiunit complex may not contain |
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| 16 | 16 | | a clause that: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) includes a charge for Internet or cable service in |
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| 18 | 18 | | the amount of payment due under the lease; or |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) requires the tenant to subscribe to Internet or |
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| 20 | 20 | | cable service. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) If a landlord violates this section, the tenant may |
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| 22 | 22 | | recover from the landlord: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) an amount equal to $500; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 26 | 26 | | to a lease agreement entered into or renewed on or after the |
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| 27 | 27 | | effective date of this Act. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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