Bill Text: TX HB1214 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to consideration of education-related income in determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB1214 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1214-Introduced.html
| By: Hinojosa | H.B. No. 1214 | |
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| relating to consideration of education-related income in | ||
| determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 92.027 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 92.027. CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANT'S | ||
| EDUCATION-RELATED INCOME. (a) In this section, "applicant," | ||
| "landlord," and "rental application" have the meanings assigned by | ||
| Section 92.351. | ||
| (b) A landlord who uses an applicant's current income as a | ||
| criterion in the determination of whether to approve an application | ||
| for occupancy shall: | ||
| (1) include on a rental application a space labeled | ||
| "EDUCATION-RELATED INCOME" for an applicant to provide information | ||
| about the applicant's education-related income, including grants, | ||
| scholarships, and federal student loans; and | ||
| (2) consider in the calculation of current income any | ||
| education-related income of the applicant provided on the rental | ||
| application form. | ||
| (c) A landlord who violates this section is liable for an | ||
| amount equal to the sum of $100, three times the amount of any | ||
| application fee or deposit, and the applicant's reasonable | ||
| attorney's fees. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 92.3515(a), Property Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) At the time an applicant is provided with a rental | ||
| application, the landlord shall make available to the applicant | ||
| printed notice of the landlord's tenant selection criteria and the | ||
| grounds for which the rental application may be denied, including | ||
| the applicant's: | ||
| (1) criminal history; | ||
| (2) previous rental history; | ||
| (3) current income, including education-related | ||
| income described by Section 92.027; | ||
| (4) credit history; or | ||
| (5) failure to provide accurate or complete | ||
| information on the application form. | ||
| SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
| a rental application provided by a landlord to an applicant on or | ||
| after the effective date of this Act. A rental application provided | ||
| by a landlord to an applicant before the effective date of this Act | ||
| is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective | ||
| date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that | ||
| purpose. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
