Bill Text: TX HB1841 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by courts to the Texas Judicial Council and made accessible to the public.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-15 - Referred to Business & Commerce [HB1841 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1841-Engrossed.html
| 88R18843 JTZ-D | ||
| By: Walle, Garcia | H.B. No. 1841 | |
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| relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by | ||
| courts to the Texas Judicial Council and made accessible to the | ||
| public. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 71.0354 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 71.0354. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION: | ||
| COURTS. (a) As a component of the official monthly report | ||
| submitted under Section 71.035, a court with original or appellate | ||
| jurisdiction over landlord and tenant disputes shall report by | ||
| category each case filed in the court under Chapter 24, Property | ||
| Code, or Title 8, Property Code, including: | ||
| (1) eviction suits; | ||
| (2) suits involving the disconnection of utilities; | ||
| (3) repair and remedy suits; | ||
| (4) suits involving security deposits; | ||
| (5) suits involving unlawful lockouts; | ||
| (6) suits involving the provision of security and | ||
| safety devices; and | ||
| (7) any other category of suit involving a landlord or | ||
| tenant brought under Title 8, Property Code, and designated by the | ||
| council. | ||
| (b) The council may adopt rules as necessary to implement | ||
| this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 72.0345 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 72.0345. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION. (a) | ||
| The office shall publish on the publicly accessible Internet | ||
| website the office maintains information on landlord and tenant | ||
| dispute cases filed in courts in this state. The information must | ||
| include for each case: | ||
| (1) the court in which the case is filed, including the | ||
| precinct and county where the court is located; | ||
| (2) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing | ||
| the defendant; | ||
| (3) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing | ||
| the plaintiff; and | ||
| (4) the disposition of the case. | ||
| (b) The office shall make the information required by | ||
| Subsection (a) available on the Internet website in a format that is | ||
| searchable by date and jurisdiction. | ||
| SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
| date of this Act: | ||
| (1) the Texas Judicial Council shall prescribe the | ||
| categories of landlord and tenant suits a court is required to | ||
| report under Section 71.0354, Government Code, as added by this | ||
| Act, and the procedures for reporting under that section; and | ||
| (2) the Office of Court Administration of the Texas | ||
| Judicial System shall publish in a searchable format on the | ||
| publicly accessible Internet website the office maintains the | ||
| landlord and tenant dispute information as required by Section | ||
| 72.0345, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| (b) Notwithstanding Section 71.0354, Government Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, a court is not required to report landlord and | ||
| tenant dispute information under that section until after the Texas | ||
| Judicial Council establishes the categories and procedures for | ||
| reporting under that section. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
