By: Schwertner, Kolkhorst S.B. No. 1513
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain requirements in connection with the acquisition
  of real property for public use by an entity with eminent domain
  authority.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 402.031, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-2) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  The statement must include:
               (1)  the title, "Landowner's Bill of Rights"; and
               (2)  a description of:
                     (A)  the condemnation procedure provided by
  Chapter 21, Property Code;
                     (B)  the condemning entity's obligations to the
  property owner, including the responsibility for any damages
  arising from an examination or survey of the property; [and]
                     (C)  the property owner's options during a
  condemnation, including the property owner's right to:
                           (i)  refuse to grant permission to the
  condemning entity to enter the property and conduct an examination
  or survey of the property;
                           (ii)  negotiate the terms of the examination
  or survey of the property; and
                           (iii)  object to and appeal an amount of
  damages awarded; and
                     (D)  the condemning entity's right to sue for a
  court order authorizing the examination or survey if the property
  owner refuses to grant permission for the examination or survey.
         (c-2)  The statement must disclose that a condemning entity,
  other than an entity acquiring property as authorized under
  Subchapter D, Chapter 203, Transportation Code, that makes an
  initial offer under Section 21.0113, Property Code, that includes
  real property that the entity does not seek to acquire by
  condemnation shall in the initial offer:
               (1)  separately identify the real property that the
  entity does not seek to acquire by condemnation; and
               (2)  make an offer for the real property that the entity
  does not seek to acquire by condemnation separate from the offer
  made for the real property sought to be acquired by condemnation.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Property Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.01101 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.01101.  SURVEY PERMISSION FORM. If an entity with
  eminent domain authority provides a form to an owner of real
  property requesting the owner's permission to enter the property to
  examine the property or conduct a survey of the property in
  connection with the potential acquisition of the property for a
  public use, the form must conspicuously state that:
               (1)  the owner has a right to refuse to grant permission
  to the entity to enter the property and conduct the examination or
  survey;
               (2)  the entity has a right to sue for a court order
  authorizing the entity to enter the property and conduct the
  examination or survey if the owner refuses to grant the permission;
               (3)  the owner has a right to negotiate the terms of the
  examination or survey of the property; and
               (4)  the entity has the responsibility for any damages
  arising from an examination or survey of the property.
         SECTION 3.  Section 21.0112(a), Property Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  At the time [Not later than the seventh day before the
  date] a governmental or private entity with eminent domain
  authority makes an initial [a final] offer to a property owner to
  acquire real property, the entity must send by first-class mail or
  otherwise provide a landowner's bill of rights statement provided
  by Section 402.031, Government Code, to the last known address of
  the person in whose name the property is listed on the most recent
  tax roll of any appropriate taxing unit authorized by law to levy
  property taxes against the property. In addition to the other
  requirements of this subsection, an entity with eminent domain
  authority shall provide a copy of the landowner's bill of rights
  statement to a landowner before or at the same time as the entity
  first represents in any manner to the landowner that the entity
  possesses eminent domain authority.
         SECTION 4.  Section 21.0113(b), Property Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  An entity with eminent domain authority has made a bona
  fide offer if:
               (1)  an initial offer is made in writing to a property
  owner that includes:
                     (A)  a copy of the landowner's bill of rights
  statement prescribed by Section 402.031, Government Code, provided
  in accordance with Section 21.0112 and including the addendum
  prescribed by Section 402.031(c-1), Government Code, if
  applicable;
                     (B)  a statement, in bold print and a larger font
  than the other portions of the offer, indicating whether the
  compensation being offered includes:
                           (i)  damages to the remainder, if any, of the
  property owner's remaining property; or
                           (ii)  an appraisal of the property,
  including damages to the remainder, if any, prepared by a certified
  appraiser certified to practice as a certified general appraiser
  under Chapter 1103, Occupations Code;
                     (C)  an instrument of conveyance, provided that if
  the entity is a private entity as defined by Section 21.0114(a), the
  instrument must comply with Section 21.0114, as applicable, unless:
                           (i)  the entity has previously provided an
  instrument complying with Section 21.0114;
                           (ii)  the property owner desires to use an
  instrument different than one complying with Section 21.0114 and
  consents in writing to use a different instrument; or
                           (iii)  the property owner provided the
  entity with the instrument prior to the issuance of the initial
  offer; and
                     (D)  the name and telephone number of a
  representative of the entity who is:
                           (i)  an employee of the entity;
                           (ii)  an employee of an affiliate providing
  services on behalf of the entity;
                           (iii)  a legal representative of the entity;
  or
                           (iv)  if the entity does not have employees,
  an individual designated to represent the day-to-day operations of
  the entity;
               (2)  a final offer is made in writing to the property
  owner;
               (3)  the final offer is made on or after the 30th day
  after the date on which the entity makes a written initial offer to
  the property owner;
               (4)  before making a final offer, the entity obtains a
  written appraisal from a certified appraiser of the value of the
  property being acquired and the damages, if any, to any of the
  property owner's remaining property;
               (5)  the final offer is equal to or greater than the
  amount of the written appraisal obtained by the entity;
               (6)  the following items are included with the final
  offer or have been previously provided to the owner by the entity:
                     (A)  a copy of the written appraisal; and
                     (B)  a copy of the deed, easement, or other
  instrument conveying the property sought to be acquired; and
                     [(C) the landowner's bill of rights statement
  prescribed by Section 21.0112; and]
               (7)  the entity provides the property owner with at
  least 14 days to respond to the final offer and the property owner
  does not agree to the terms of the final offer within that period.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Property Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0115 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0115.  OFFER TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY;
  EXCEPTION. (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), a condemning
  entity that makes an initial offer under Section 21.0113 that
  includes real property that the entity does not seek to acquire by
  condemnation shall in the initial offer:
               (1)  separately identify the real property that the
  entity does not seek to acquire by condemnation; and
               (2)  make an offer for the real property that the entity
  does not seek to acquire by condemnation separate from the offer
  made for the real property sought to be acquired by condemnation.
         (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply to an acquisition of real
  property under Subchapter D, Chapter 203, Transportation Code.
         SECTION 6.  The office of the attorney general shall make the
  landowner's bill of rights statement required by Section 402.031,
  Government Code, as amended by this Act, available on the attorney
  general's Internet website not later than January 1, 2024.
         SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act to Sections
  21.0112 and 21.0113, Property Code, apply only to the acquisition
  of real property in connection with an initial offer made under
  Section 21.0113, Property Code, on or after the effective date of
  this Act. The acquisition of real property in connection with an
  initial offer made under Section 21.0113, Property Code, 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 8.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2024.