BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 621 By: Patterson Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Property owners' associations (POA) attempt to maintain certain standards within the boundaries of the POA for uniformity across their community. These associations may regulate exterior paint color, lawn care standards, and various other relatively benign requirements to maintain a cohesive look for the entirety of the neighborhood. However, the bill author has informed the committee that Texans have reported POAs preventing certain political candidates or public officials who may have different political views than POA leadership from being hosted by a resident in common areas owned and operated by the POA. As these spaces are paid for by POA dues paid by residents, the residents should have some authority with respect to hosting individuals within the communal spaces of the POA they helped fund. H.B. 621 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting a POA from preventing residents from inviting government officials or qualified candidates to use common areas of the association. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 621 amends the Property Code to prohibit a property owners' association (POA) from adopting or enforcing a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting a property owner or resident from inviting governmental officials and candidates who have been qualified in the appropriate election to run for public governmental office to address or meet with POA members, residents, or their invitees in common areas of the POA. H.B. 621 authorizes a POA to require such gatherings to abide by the same provisions of a dedicatory instrument that apply to any other gathering held in a common area of the POA, including a provision: requiring a room rental fee or deposit; limiting the maximum occupancy of the common area where the meeting is to be held; establishing hours during which a meeting may be held in the common area; specifying the common areas of the POA that are available to POA members for meetings; or requiring a written reservation or rental agreement. H.B. 621 does not apply to a POA that qualifies for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status or to a common area of a POA that is not made available for meetings due to designated seasonal use or not made available for meetings other than a meeting of the POA, the board of the POA, or a committee of the POA or the POA board. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 621
By: Patterson
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 621
By: Patterson
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Property owners' associations (POA) attempt to maintain certain standards within the boundaries of the POA for uniformity across their community. These associations may regulate exterior paint color, lawn care standards, and various other relatively benign requirements to maintain a cohesive look for the entirety of the neighborhood. However, the bill author has informed the committee that Texans have reported POAs preventing certain political candidates or public officials who may have different political views than POA leadership from being hosted by a resident in common areas owned and operated by the POA. As these spaces are paid for by POA dues paid by residents, the residents should have some authority with respect to hosting individuals within the communal spaces of the POA they helped fund. H.B. 621 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting a POA from preventing residents from inviting government officials or qualified candidates to use common areas of the association.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 621 amends the Property Code to prohibit a property owners' association (POA) from adopting or enforcing a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting a property owner or resident from inviting governmental officials and candidates who have been qualified in the appropriate election to run for public governmental office to address or meet with POA members, residents, or their invitees in common areas of the POA. H.B. 621 authorizes a POA to require such gatherings to abide by the same provisions of a dedicatory instrument that apply to any other gathering held in a common area of the POA, including a provision: requiring a room rental fee or deposit; limiting the maximum occupancy of the common area where the meeting is to be held; establishing hours during which a meeting may be held in the common area; specifying the common areas of the POA that are available to POA members for meetings; or requiring a written reservation or rental agreement. H.B. 621 does not apply to a POA that qualifies for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status or to a common area of a POA that is not made available for meetings due to designated seasonal use or not made available for meetings other than a meeting of the POA, the board of the POA, or a committee of the POA or the POA board.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Property owners' associations (POA) attempt to maintain certain standards within the boundaries of the POA for uniformity across their community. These associations may regulate exterior paint color, lawn care standards, and various other relatively benign requirements to maintain a cohesive look for the entirety of the neighborhood. However, the bill author has informed the committee that Texans have reported POAs preventing certain political candidates or public officials who may have different political views than POA leadership from being hosted by a resident in common areas owned and operated by the POA. As these spaces are paid for by POA dues paid by residents, the residents should have some authority with respect to hosting individuals within the communal spaces of the POA they helped fund. H.B. 621 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting a POA from preventing residents from inviting government officials or qualified candidates to use common areas of the association.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 621 amends the Property Code to prohibit a property owners' association (POA) from adopting or enforcing a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting a property owner or resident from inviting governmental officials and candidates who have been qualified in the appropriate election to run for public governmental office to address or meet with POA members, residents, or their invitees in common areas of the POA.
H.B. 621 authorizes a POA to require such gatherings to abide by the same provisions of a dedicatory instrument that apply to any other gathering held in a common area of the POA, including a provision:
requiring a room rental fee or deposit;
limiting the maximum occupancy of the common area where the meeting is to be held;
establishing hours during which a meeting may be held in the common area;
specifying the common areas of the POA that are available to POA members for meetings; or
requiring a written reservation or rental agreement.
H.B. 621 does not apply to a POA that qualifies for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status or to a common area of a POA that is not made available for meetings due to designated seasonal use or not made available for meetings other than a meeting of the POA, the board of the POA, or a committee of the POA or the POA board.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.