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.