Bill Number

Official Caption (description)

Comments

House Bill 23

relating to a residential landlord's disclosure of previous use of leased premises for manufacture of methamphetamine and related remedial action.

Would require landlords to advise tenants of a property's prior use as a meth lab; makes it nonwaivable; imposes specific formatting requirements for this notice in the lease, and imposes one penalty for failure-termination of the lease and a refund of all rent paid. Would be effective January 1, 2010.

House Bill 28

relating to requiring notice by a seller of real property of potential annexation of the property by a municipality.

Includes the exact wording of the required notice; may be in the contract or in a separate document.

House Bill 133

relating to mandatory sales price disclosure in real property sales; providing a civil penalty.

It seems there are always several bills filed on this issue. The goal is to help the appraisal district value the property. The threat is that someone could then figure out how much a transfer tax on the sale of real estate would generate for the state treasury.

House Bill 244

relating to regulation of residential tenancies by local governments.

Would prevent Farmers Branch and other cities from enforcing ordinances requiring landlords to determine prospective tenants' immigration status and prohibiting them from leasing to illegal aliens.

House Bill 421

relating to a mortgage servicer's notice of sale to a debtor and the debtor's subsequent notice to tenant.

One of what will be many foreclosure bills. This one would require owners to notify tenants of any foreclosure affecting the property, and prohibits landlords from requiring the tenant to vacate prior to the sale except for nonpayment of rent or other payment required by the lease.

House Bill 534

relating to the liability of certain obligors under a residential lease.

Would automatically restrict guaranties of leases to the primary term only (not for any extension; here's a direct quote: "A provision that purports to renew for an additional lease term the liability of a person other than a tenant who cosigns or guarantees a lease is void."

Senate Bill 83

relating to right to vacate and avoid residential lease liability following the occurrence of certain

sex offenses or family violence.

Would allow a tenant to terminate a lease, move out and avoid all future

liabilities under the lease as of the termination, if the tenant is a victim of a sexual assault that takes place in the premises or at any dwelling on the premises.

Senate Bill 354

relating to transactions involving residential mortgage foreclosures; providing a penalty.

You have already covered this one.

Senate Bill 472

relating to notice required before,

and period to vacate after,

foreclosure sale of real property.

Another foreclosure bill. This one would change the cure period after

notice of default from 20 to 45 days, would require a new notice to be provided on 8 ¹/2  xll canary yellow paper (!), would require the lender to try to contact the debtor by phone, and would give the debtor 31 days after foreclosure to move out. Also would require debtors to timely notify any tenant in the property about the noticed foreclosure.