Bill Text: TX HB151 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to exercise of authority by a personal representative of a decedent's estate without court approval.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-25 - Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence [HB151 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB151-Introduced.html

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87R2028 EAS-D
By: Landgraf H.B. No. 151

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to exercise of authority by a personal representative of a
decedent's estate without court approval.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 351.052(a), Estates Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A personal representative of an estate may, without
application to or order of the court:
(1) release a lien on payment at maturity of the debt
secured by the lien;
(2) vote stocks by limited or general proxy;
(3) pay calls and assessments;
(4) insure the estate against liability in appropriate
cases;
(5) insure estate property against fire, theft, and
other hazards; [or]
(6) pay taxes, court costs, and bond premiums;
(7) hire an accountant, bookkeeper, or other tax
professional to assist with any tax filing required for the
decedent or the estate;
(8) hire a real estate agent to assist with the
marketing and selling of any real property of the estate;
(9) hire an appraiser to assist with any valuations
required for estate property for which the court has not appointed
an appraiser to appraise the property;
(10) pay all reasonable costs necessary to exercise
the personal representative's duty of care under Section 351.101;
or
(11) pay all reasonable costs related to the exercise
of any power listed in Subdivisions (1)-(9).
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act to Section
351.052(a), Estates Code, apply only to the administration of the
estate of a decedent who dies on or after the effective date of this
Act. The administration of the estate of a decedent who dies before
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
the date of the decedent's death, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.