bill makes courts report landlord-tenant cases by type

The text as introduced · 468 words

89R7802 BCH-D

By: Walle
H.B. No. 2578

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to landlord and tenant dispute information reported by

courts and published on a publicly accessible Internet website.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 71.0354 to read as follows:

Sec. 71.0354. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION:

COURTS. (a) As a component of the official monthly report

submitted under Section 71.035, a court with original or appellate

jurisdiction over landlord and tenant disputes shall report by

category each case filed in the court under Chapter 24, Property

Code, or Title 8, Property Code, including:

(1) eviction suits;

(2) suits involving the disconnection of utilities;

(3) repair and remedy suits;

(4) suits involving security deposits;

(5) suits involving unlawful lockouts;

(6) suits involving the provision of security and

safety devices; and

(7) any other category of suit involving a landlord or

tenant brought under Title 8, Property Code, and designated by the

council.

(b) The council may adopt rules as necessary to implement

this section.

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 72.0345 to read as follows:

Sec. 72.0345. LANDLORD AND TENANT DISPUTE INFORMATION. (a)

The office shall publish on the publicly accessible Internet

website the office maintains information on landlord and tenant

dispute cases filed in courts in this state and reported as required

under Section 71.0354. The information must include for each case:

(1) the court in which the case is filed, including the

precinct and county where the court is located;

(2) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing

the defendant;

(3) whether any legal counsel or agent is representing

the plaintiff; and

(4) the disposition of the case.

(b) The office shall publish the information required by

Subsection (a) in a format that is searchable by date and

jurisdiction.

SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective

date of this Act:

(1) the Texas Judicial Council shall prescribe the

categories of landlord and tenant suits a court is required to

report under Section 71.0354, Government Code, as added by this

Act, and the procedures for reporting under that section; and

(2) the Office of Court Administration of the Texas

Judicial System shall publish in a searchable format on the

publicly accessible Internet website the office maintains the

landlord and tenant dispute information as required by Section

72.0345, Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 71.0354, Government Code, as

added by this Act, a court is not required to report landlord and

tenant dispute information under that section until after the Texas

Judicial Council establishes the categories and procedures for

reporting under that section.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.