56 bills were filed in the Texas Legislature in the landlord/tenant category. They can be seen here. TTU followed the bills listed below related to tenants’ rights, fair housing, and affordable housing. This legislative session ended in May. The next regular session of the Texas Legislature will be January – May 2023.
| HB 279 | Author: | Rosenthal |
| Last Action: | H Left pending in House Business & Industry Committee on March 16, 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to pet deposits or fees collected by landlords. |
| HB 314 | Author: | Collier |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Feb 25 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the provision of access to a dwelling by a landlord to a cotenant or occupant who commits certain offenses. |
| HB 531 | Author: Sponsor: | Walle | Morales Shaw | Hernandez Huffman |
| Last Actions: | 06/18/2021 E Effective on 1/1/22 | |
| Caption: | Relating to notice requirements for a leased dwelling located in a floodplain. |
| HB 628 | Author: | Rosenthal | Bernal | Johnson, Jarvis |
| Last Action: | 05/13/2021 H Placed on General State Calendar | |
| Caption: | Relating to prohibiting an increase in the rent of a tenant residing in a development supported with a low income housing tax credit allocation. |
| HB 754 | Author: | Cain |
| Last Action: | 05/07/2021 H Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm. | |
| Caption: | Relating to certain municipal requirements imposed on a landlord of a dwelling or a multiunit complex. |
| HB 875 | Author: | Lopez |
| | Last Action: | 04/23/2021 H Considered in Calendars |
| | Caption: | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of age or certain housing needs and to the enforcement of that prohibition. |
| HB 886 | Author: | Rosenthal |
| Last Action: | H Left pending in the Urban Affairs Committee on Wednesday, April 7 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the repeal of the prohibition against certain municipal or county regulation of the rental or leasing of housing accommodations. |
| HB 900 | Author: Sponsor: | Huberty Springer |
| Last Action: | 06/15/2021 E Effective on 9/1/21 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the liability of a landlord for damages resulting from the execution of a writ of possession in an eviction suit. |
| HB 1470 | Author: | Rodriguez |
| Last Action: | 3/5/2021 H Referred to Business & Industry | |
| Caption: | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income and to the enforcement of that prohibition. |
| HB 1159 | Author: | Murr |
| Last Action: | 05/26/2021 S Placed on local & uncontested calendar | |
| Caption: | Relating to the maximum judgment amount awarded by a justice court in certain civil cases regarding the repair of residential rental property. |
| HB1470 | Author: | Rodriguez |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 5 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income and to the enforcement of that prohibition |
| HB 1532 | Author: | Reynolds |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 8 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to a temporary abatement of evictions of residential tenants during a pandemic. |
| HB 1604 | Author: | Murphy |
| LastAction: | H Referred to Urban Affairs: Mar 9 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to requirements for beneficial tax treatment related to a leasehold or other possessory interest in a public facility used to provide affordable housing. |
| HB 1647 | Author: | Walle | Crockett | Collier |
| Last Action: | 04/27/2021 H Passed 04/27/2021 S Received from the House | |
| Caption: | Relating to the confidentiality of eviction case information for evictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| HB 1930 | Author: | Walle | Ramos | Collier |
| LastAction: | 04/28/2021 H Passed 04/28/2021 S Received from the House | |
| Caption: | Relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by justice courts to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System and made accessible to the public. |
| HB 1963 | Author: | Beckley |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 15 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the regulation of short-term rentals by a property owners’ association. |
| HB 2537 | Author: | Reynolds |
| Last Action: | H Referred to County Affairs: Mar 17 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to county regulation of short-term rental units in the unincorporated area of certain counties; authorizing a civil penalty; authorizing a fe |
| HB 2617 | Author: | Lopez | Crockett |
| Last Action: | H Left pending in Business & Industry on April 20, 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the rights of a residential tenant and duties of a landlord regarding a security deposit provided by the tenant. |
| HB 2801 | Author: | Hernandez |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry Mar 18 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to requiring a notice of proposed eviction for residential and commercial leases after a failure to pay rent. |
| HB 2906 | Author: | Bernal | Campos |
| Last Action: | 04/20/2021 H Committee report sent to Calendars | |
| Caption: | Relating to the disposition of rental payments received by public housing authorities from tenants. |
| HB 3036 | Author: | Campos |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 19 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to a temporary abatement of evictions for failure to pay rent during and after a disaster. |
| HB 3358 | Author: | Rodriguez |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 22 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to prohibited retaliation against residential tenants by landlords. |
| HB 3479 | Author: | Rose |
| LastAction: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 22 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of an individual’s criminal history and to the enforcement of that prohibition. |
| HB 3490 | Author: | Deshotel |
| LastAction: | H Referred to Ways & Means: Mar 22 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the authority of an owner of residential rental property on which a tenant has defaulted on the obligation to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic to pay the ad valorem taxes imposed on the property in installments. |
| HB 3504 | Author: | Lambert | Darby |
| Last Action: | 05/05/2021 H Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar | |
| Caption: | Relating to repairs made pursuant to a tenant’s notice of intent to repair and the refund of a tenant’s security deposit. |
| HB 3541 | Author: | Turner, Chris |
| Last Action: | 05/14/2021 H Placed on Local, Consent, and Res. Calendar | |
| Caption: | Relating to a fee in lieu of a security deposit for a residential lease. |
| HB 3560 | Author: | Zwiener |
| Last Action: | H Left pending in the Business & Industry Committee on 4/06/2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential landlord. |
| HB 3639 | Author: | Lopez |
| LastAction: | H Referred to State Affairs: Mar 22 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to notice to a customer or tenant required after an intentional shutoff of electric and water service. |
| HB 3882 | Author: | Lopez |
| Last Action: | 04/20/2021 H Left pending in committee in Business & Industry | |
| Caption: | Relating to a landlord’s duty to inspect for and treat bedbugs in residential rental units. |
| HB 3903 | Author: | Wu |
| Last Action: | H Left pending in Business & Industry 04/13/2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the confidentiality of eviction case information. |
| HB 4039 | Author: | Walle |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to certain rights and duties of residential tenants and landlords; imposing civil penalties. |
| HB 4059 | Author: | Meza |
| Last Action: | H Scheduled for public hearing on 04/13/2021 in Business & Industry | |
| Caption: | Relating to a tenant’s right to terminate a residential lease following certain outages of essential utilities. |
| HB 4077 | Author: | Turner, Chris |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the duty of a residential landlord to send notification of an interruption in water service. |
| HB 4104 | Author: | Johnson, Jarvis | Guillen |
| LastAction: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to a student’s right to vacate and avoid liability under a residential lease following certain declared disasters. |
| HB 4444 | Author: | Neave | Guillen |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the authority of counties to prohibit evictions during a declaration of disaster. |
| HB 4490 | Author: | Walle |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to a landlord’s liability to a tenant for a casualty loss to residential rental premises caused by the landlord. |
| HB 4410 | Author: | Sanford |
| Last Action: | H Referred to Business & Industry: Mar 29 2021 | |
| Caption: | Relating to the consideration of the criminal history of an applicant for an apartment lease. |
| SB 265 | Author: | West |
| Last Action: | 03/03/2021 S Referred to State Affairs | |
| Caption: | Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income and to the enforcement of that prohibition. |
| SB 308 | Author: | Eckhardt |
| Last Action: | 03/09/2021 S Referred to Local Government | |
| Caption: | Relating to prohibiting an increase in the rent of a tenant residing in a development supported with a low income housing tax credit allocation. |
| SB 314 | Author: | Huffman |
| Last Action: | 03/09/2021 S Referred to Business & Commerce | |
| Caption: | Relating to notice requirements for leased residential property, manufactured home lots, or commercial property located in a flood zone. |
| SB 417 | Author: | Miles |
| Last Action: | 03/09/2021 S Referred to Jurisprudence | |
| Caption: | Relating to reports to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System on certain cases filed in justice and municipal courts. |
| SB 591 | Author: | Bettencourt |
| Last Action: | 03/11/2021 S Referred to Local Government | |
| Caption: | Relating to requirements for beneficial tax treatment related to a leasehold or other possessory interest in a public facility used to provide affordable housing. |
| SB 558 | Author: | Zaffirini |
| Last Action: | 03/11/2021 S Referred to Jurisprudence | |
| Caption: | Relating to the confidentiality of eviction case information. |
| SB 1040 | Author: | Eckhardt |
| Last Action: | 03/18/2021 S Referred to Business & Commerce | |
| Caption: | Relating to a landlord’s notice to residential tenants regarding rent increases. |
| SB 1288 | Author: | Eckhardt |
| Last Action: | 03/18/2021 S Referred to Business & Commerce | |
| Caption: | Relating to criminal history screening of applicants for residential tenancies; imposing civil penalties. |
| SB 1783 | Author: Sponsor: | Creighton Turner, Chris |
| Last Action: | 05/30/2021 E Effective on 9/1/21 | |
| Caption: | Relating to a fee collected by a landlord in lieu of a security deposit. |
Texas Tenants' Union 