SB 603
bill barring landlords from passing utility late fees to tenants
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 a landlord's authority to collect from a tenant certain late fees for nonpayment or late payment for a utility.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
The landlord paid late. The landlord pays the fee.
The bill bars a landlord from passing on to a tenant the late fees the landlord itself owes a utility company when the landlord fails to pay or pays late for utility service it provides to the tenant. It touches landlords, property managers and tenants whose utilities are furnished through the landlord, but the bar does not protect a tenant who is behind on paying the landlord for that utility service. Starting with leases signed or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, tenants who are current on utilities cannot be billed for the landlord's own utility late fees, while landlords keep their normal right to charge late fees on rent and other amounts the tenant owes.
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-SB603 · 2024-12-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to a landlord's authority to collect from a tenant certain late fees for nonpayment or late payment for a utility.
WHAT IT DOES
The landlord paid late. The landlord pays the fee.
The bill bars a landlord from passing on to a tenant the late fees the landlord itself owes a utility company when the landlord fails to pay or pays late for utility service it provides to the tenant. It touches landlords, property managers and tenants whose utilities are furnished through the landlord, but the bar does not protect a tenant who is behind on paying the landlord for that utility service. Starting with leases signed or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, tenants who are current on utilities cannot be billed for the landlord's own utility late fees, while landlords keep their normal right to charge late fees on rent and other amounts the tenant owes.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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
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.
TeamSources
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.
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
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.
TeamSources
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 6:51 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
Utilities--General
Text
The text as introduced · 248 words
89R2275 CS-D By: West S.B. No. 603 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a landlord's authority to collect from a tenant certain late fees for nonpayment or late payment for a utility. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 92, Property Code, is amended by adding Section 92.0192 to read as follows: Sec. 92.0192. CERTAIN UTILITY NONPAYMENT OR LATE FEES PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "landlord" includes a manager or agent of the landlord. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a landlord may not collect from a tenant a fee incurred by the landlord as a result of the landlord's nonpayment or late payment to a utility company for a utility service furnished by the landlord to the tenant under the lease or another agreement. (c) Subsection (b) does not apply to a tenant who is delinquent in payment to the landlord for a utility service furnished by the landlord to the tenant under the lease or other agreement. (d) This section does not restrict a landlord's authority to collect from a tenant a late fee or other charge for an amount owed by the tenant to the landlord under the lease or other agreement. SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a lease or other agreement entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.