| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain security devices for residential tenancies. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 92.156, Property Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (e), a [A] |
|
|
security device operated by a key, card, or combination shall be |
|
|
rekeyed by the landlord at the landlord's expense not later than the |
|
|
seventh day after each tenant turnover date. |
|
|
(e) If a tenant vacates the premises in breach of a written |
|
|
lease, the landlord may deduct from the tenant's security deposit |
|
|
the reasonable cost incurred by the landlord to rekey a security |
|
|
device as required by this section only if the lease includes a |
|
|
provision that is underlined or printed in boldface type |
|
|
authorizing the deduction. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 92.157(a), Property Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) At a tenant's request made at any time, a landlord, at |
|
|
the tenant's expense, shall install: |
|
|
(1) a keyed dead bolt on an exterior door if the door |
|
|
has: |
|
|
(A) a doorknob lock but not a keyed dead bolt; or |
|
|
(B) a keyless bolting device but not a keyed dead |
|
|
bolt or doorknob lock; and |
|
|
(2) a sliding door handle latch [pin lock] or sliding |
|
|
door security bar if the door is an exterior sliding glass door |
|
|
without a sliding door handle latch [pin lock] or sliding door |
|
|
security bar. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 92.1641, Property Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 92.1641. LANDLORD'S DEFENSES RELATING TO INSTALLING OR |
|
|
REKEYING CERTAIN SECURITY DEVICES. The landlord has a defense to |
|
|
liability under Section 92.164 if: |
|
|
(1) the tenant has not fully paid all rent then due |
|
|
from the tenant on the date the tenant gives a request under |
|
|
[Subsection (a) of] Section 92.157(c) [92.157] or the notice |
|
|
required by Section 92.164; or |
|
|
(2) on the date the tenant terminates the lease or |
|
|
files suit the tenant has not fully paid costs requested by the |
|
|
landlord and authorized by Section 92.162. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a lease entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of |
|
|
this Act. A lease entered into or renewed before the effective date |
|
|
of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before |
|
|
the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect |
|
|
for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 2404 was passed by the House on May |
|
|
15, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
|
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
|
No. 2404 on May 28, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, |
|
|
2 present, not voting, and that the House adopted H.C.R. No. 144 |
|
|
authorizing certain corrections in H.B. No. 2404 on May 30, 2015, by |
|
|
the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 1, 2 present, not voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 2404 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
|
amendments, on May 26, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays |
|
|
1, |
|
|
and that the Senate adopted H.C.R. No. 144 authorizing certain |
|
|
corrections in H.B. No. 2404 on May 31, 2015, by the following vote: |
|
|
Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
|
Governor |