SB 2734

Cook Bill Makes Landlords Count Student Loans As Income

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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

Caption

relating to consideration of education-related income in determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Scholarships and grants count too. Break the rule, owe $100 plus 3x the fee or deposit!

The bill requires landlords who look at an applicant's current income to add an "EDUCATION-RELATED INCOME" space to their rental applications and to count grants, scholarships, and federal student loans as income. It touches residential landlords and rental applicants, especially students paying with financial aid. A landlord who breaks the rule owes the applicant $100, three times any application fee or deposit, and attorney's fees, starting with applications handed out on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 649 by Rep. Hinojosa (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 649 by Rep. Hinojosa (Did not pass). 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 Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2734 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Molly CookDSenate 15

ITEM

relating to consideration of education-related income in determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies.

WHAT IT DOES

Scholarships and grants count too. Break the rule, owe $100 plus 3x the fee or deposit!

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 13, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“A landlord who violates this section is liable to the applicant for an amount equal to the sum of $100, three times the amount of any application fee or deposit, and the applicant's reasonable attorney's fees.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a private right to sue landlords, with a penalty and attorney's fees, for not counting education-related income.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Molly Cook

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KGregory Stocks$10,000Amber Alonso$6,500

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 5, 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

Gregory Stocks$10,000.00

Amber Alonso$6,500.00

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 5, 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 649

by Rep. Hinojosa, different lead author · Did not pass · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, May 11, 2023: Postponed

Relating to consideration of education-related income in determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 1214 by Hinojosa (very similar)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Education--Higher--Student Financial Aid

Property Interests--Landlord & Tenant

SCHOLARSHIPS

STUDENT LOANS

Text

The text as introduced · 359 words

89R6120 RAL-D

By: Cook
S.B. No. 2734

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to consideration of education-related income in

determining eligibility of applicants for residential tenancies.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is

amended by adding Section 92.027 to read as follows:

Sec. 92.027. CONSIDERATION OF APPLICANT'S

EDUCATION-RELATED INCOME. (a) In this section, "applicant,"

"landlord," and "rental application" have the meanings assigned by

Section 92.351.

(b) A landlord who considers an applicant's current income

in determining whether to approve an application for occupancy

shall:

(1) include on a rental application a space labeled

"EDUCATION-RELATED INCOME" for an applicant to provide information

about the applicant's education-related income, including grants,

scholarships, and federal student loans; and

(2) consider in the calculation of current income any

education-related income of the applicant provided on the rental

application form.

(c) A landlord who violates this section is liable to the

applicant for an amount equal to the sum of $100, three times the

amount of any application fee or deposit, and the applicant's

reasonable attorney's fees.

SECTION 2. Section 92.3515(a), Property Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) At the time an applicant is provided with a rental

application, the landlord shall make available to the applicant

printed notice of the landlord's tenant selection criteria and the

grounds for which the rental application may be denied, including

the applicant's:

(1) criminal history;

(2) previous rental history;

(3) current income , including education-related

income described by Section 92.027 ;

(4) credit history; or

(5) failure to provide accurate or complete

information on the application form.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a rental application provided by a landlord to an applicant on or

after the effective date of this Act. A rental application

provided by a landlord to an applicant before the effective date of

this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the

effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in

effect for that purpose.

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