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AN ACT
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relating to late fees under a residential lease. | 
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       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
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       SECTION 1.  Section 92.019(a), Property Code, is amended to  | 
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read as follows: | 
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       (a)  A landlord may not charge a tenant a late fee for failing  | 
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to pay rent unless: | 
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             (1)  notice of the fee is included in a written lease; | 
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             (2)  the fee is a reasonable estimate of uncertain  | 
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damages to the landlord that are incapable of precise calculation  | 
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and result from late payment of rent; and | 
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             (3)  the rent has remained [remains] unpaid one full | 
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[after the second] day after the date the rent was originally due. | 
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       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives  | 
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as  | 
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this  | 
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this  | 
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. | 
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______________________________ | 
______________________________ | 
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   President of the Senate | 
Speaker of the House      | 
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       I certify that H.B. No. 1109 was passed by the House on April  | 
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28, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not  | 
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voting. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Chief Clerk of the House    | 
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       I certify that H.B. No. 1109 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
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19, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Secretary of the Senate     | 
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APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
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                   Date           | 
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          _____________________ | 
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                 Governor        |