Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2578 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R7802 BCH-D
2		-	By: Walle, Collier~~, Gates~~ H.B. No. 2578
	2	+	By: Walle, Collier H.B. No. 2578
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7	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8		AN ACT
9	9		relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by
10	10		courts and published on a publicly accessible Internet website.
11	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12		SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is
13	13		amended by adding Section 71.0354 to read as follows:
14	14		Sec. 71.0354. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION:
15	15		COURTS. (a) As a component of the official monthly report
16	16		submitted under Section 71.035, a court with original or appellate
17	17		jurisdiction over landlord and tenant disputes shall report by
18	18		category each case filed in the court under Chapter 24, Property
19	19		Code, or Title 8, Property Code, including:
20	20		(1) eviction suits;
21	21		(2) suits involving the disconnection of utilities;
22	22		(3) repair and remedy suits;
23	23		(4) suits involving security deposits;
24	24		(5) suits involving unlawful lockouts;
25	25		(6) suits involving the provision of security and
26	26		safety devices; and
27	27		(7) any other category of suit involving a landlord or
28	28		tenant brought under Title 8, Property Code, and designated by the
29	29		council.
30	30		(b) The council may adopt rules as necessary to implement
31	31		this section.
32	32		SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is
33	33		amended by adding Section 72.0345 to read as follows:
34	34		Sec. 72.0345. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION. (a)
35	35		The office shall publish on the publicly accessible Internet
36	36		website the office maintains information on landlord and tenant
37	37		dispute cases filed in courts in this state and reported as required
38	38		under Section 71.0354. The information must include for each case:
39	39		(1) the court in which the case is filed, including the
40	40		precinct and county where the court is located;
41	41		(2) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing
42	42		the defendant;
43	43		(3) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing
44	44		the plaintiff; and
45	45		(4) the disposition of the case.
46	46		(b) The office shall publish the information required by
47	47		Subsection (a) in a format that is searchable by date and
48	48		jurisdiction.
49	49		SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
50	50		date of this Act:
51	51		(1) the Texas Judicial Council shall prescribe the
52	52		categories of landlord and tenant suits a court is required to
53	53		report under Section 71.0354, Government Code, as added by this
54	54		Act, and the procedures for reporting under that section; and
55	55		(2) the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
56	56		Judicial System shall publish in a searchable format on the
57	57		publicly accessible Internet website the office maintains the
58	58		landlord and tenant dispute information as required by Section
59	59		72.0345, Government Code, as added by this Act.
60	60		(b) Notwithstanding Section 71.0354, Government Code, as
61	61		added by this Act, a court is not required to report landlord and
62	62		tenant dispute information under that section until after the Texas
63	63		Judicial Council establishes the categories and procedures for
64	64		reporting under that section.
65	65		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.