Monitoring the Session

SB 601

bill barring landlords from charging tenants for their mail

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

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 mail fees charged to tenants of certain residential properties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Paid mail service stays legal only if optional. Six units or more.

The bill bars landlords, including their managers and agents, from charging tenants a fee to receive their mail or forcing tenants to use a paid mail service. It covers renters at properties with at least six units under common ownership, and landlords may still offer a paid mail service as long as it is optional. Starting with leases signed or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, tenants at those properties cannot be made to pay just to get their letters and packages.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 13, 2024 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB601 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Royce WestDSenate 23

ITEM

relating to mail fees charged to tenants of certain residential properties.

WHAT IT DOES

Paid mail service stays legal only if optional. Six units or more.

The bill bars landlords, including their managers and agents, from charging tenants a fee to receive their mail or forcing tenants to use a paid mail service. It covers renters at properties with at least six units under common ownership, and landlords may still offer a paid mail service as long as it is optional. Starting with leases signed or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, tenants at those properties cannot be made to pay just to get their letters and packages.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Royce West

Donors

Skyview Development LLC$36KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20KErle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000

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 · Jul 1, 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.

Skyview Development LLC$36,332.00

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 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: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. 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: 100987569, 101063137.

Erle Allen Nye Jr.$15,000.00
Money

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

×

Skyview Development LLC

$36,332.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,332.00
Total
$36,332.00
Other filed descriptions $32,032.00fundraiser $4,300.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 1, 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: 100987569, 101009506, 101058878, 101063137.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

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 · Oct 11, 2024 to Oct 10, 2025. 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: 100987569, 101063137.

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.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 13, 2024

02/03/2025 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

Subjects

Property Interests--Landlord & Tenant

Text

The text as introduced · 222 words

89R548 CS-D

By: West
S.B. No. 601

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to mail fees charged to tenants of certain residential

properties.

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. CERTAIN MAIL FEES PROHIBITED. (a) In this

section:

(1) "Landlord" includes a manager or agent of the

landlord.

(2) "Mail" means a letter, postal card, package, bag,

or other sealed article that is delivered by the United States

Postal Service, a common carrier, or another delivery service.

(b) This section applies only to a property with at least

six dwelling units that are under common ownership.

(c) A landlord may not:

(1) charge a tenant a fee to receive the tenant's mail;

or

(2) require a tenant to use a service that charges the

tenant a fee to receive, store, or otherwise handle the tenant's

mail.

(d) A landlord may offer a tenant an optional fee-based mail

service for the receipt, storage, or other handling of the tenant's

mail.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a lease entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of

this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.