Monitoring the SessionHB 1247
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential landlord.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Full penalty, no back rent subtracted. And no delinquent rent collected.
The bill makes landlords who illegally cut off a tenant's utilities pay the full penalty without subtracting any back rent the tenant owes. It also bars a landlord who breaks the utility-interruption rule from collecting delinquent rent from that tenant. Tenants whose utilities are wrongly shut off get a bigger recovery, and landlords lose the right to offset or collect unpaid rent, starting with violations on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2968 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2968 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-HB1247 · 2024-11-12
relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential landlord.
Full penalty, no back rent subtracted. And no delinquent rent collected.
The bill makes landlords who illegally cut off a tenant's utilities pay the full penalty without subtracting any back rent the tenant owes. It also bars a landlord who breaks the utility-interruption rule from collecting delinquent rent from that tenant. Tenants whose utilities are wrongly shut off get a bigger recovery, and landlords lose the right to offset or collect unpaid rent, starting with violations on or after September 1, 2025.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$25,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.
$22,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$25,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.
$22,000.00
Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101012412, 101032309, 101061964, 101072091.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Rep. Zwiener, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Mar 14, 2023: Referred to Business & Industry
Relating to the interruption of utility service by a residential landlord.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
03/10/2025 H Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee
Property Interests--Landlord & Tenant
Utilities--General
The text as introduced · 224 words
89R3516 CS-F By: Zwiener H.B. No. 1247 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 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[ , less any delinquent rents or other sums for which the tenant is liable to the landlord ]. (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 a 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, 2025.