S.B. No. 1448
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to actions in a justice court regarding the repair of
  residential rental property.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 92.0563, Property Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The justice, county, and district courts have
  concurrent jurisdiction in [of] an action under Subsection (a) [of
  this section except that the justice court may not order repairs
  under Subdivision (1) of Subsection (a) of this section].
         (d)  If a suit is filed in a justice court requesting relief
  under Subsection (a), the justice court shall conduct a hearing on
  the request not earlier than the sixth day after the date of service
  of citation and not later than the 10th day after that date.
         (e)  A justice court may not award a judgment under this
  section, including an order of repair, that exceeds $10,000,
  excluding interest and costs of court.
         (f)  An appeal of a judgment of a justice court under this
  section takes precedence in county court and may be held at any time
  after the eighth day after the date the transcript is filed in the
  county court. An owner of real property who files a notice of
  appeal of a judgment of a justice court to the county court perfects
  the owner's appeal and stays the effect of the judgment without the
  necessity of posting an appeal bond.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2010, the Texas Supreme
  Court shall adopt rules of civil procedure applicable to orders of
  repair issued by a justice court under Subdivision (1), Subsection
  (a), Section 92.0563, Property Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 92.0563, Property Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to an action filed on or after the effective
  date of this Act. An action filed before the effective date of this
  Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that date,
  and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2010.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1448 passed the Senate on
  April 22, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 1.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1448 passed the House on
  May 19, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, one
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor