Bill Text: TX HB2968 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential landlord.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-14 - Referred to Business & Industry [HB2968 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2968-Introduced.html
88R3902 DRS-F | ||
By: Zwiener | H.B. No. 2968 |
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relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential | ||
landlord. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 92.008, Property Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(f) If a landlord or a landlord's agent violates this | ||
section, the tenant may: | ||
(1) either recover possession of the premises or | ||
terminate the lease; and | ||
(2) in addition to other remedies available under law, | ||
recover from the landlord an amount equal to the sum of the tenant's | ||
actual damages, the tenant's security deposit, one month's rent | ||
plus $1,000, reasonable attorney's fees, and court costs[ |
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(f-1) A landlord who violates this section may not collect | ||
delinquent rent from a tenant. | ||
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
to violation that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
A violation that occurs before the effective date of this Act is | ||
governed by the law in effect on the date the violation occurred, | ||
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |