2019 Texas Legislature

The 86th regular session of the Texas Legislature begins January 8, 2019 and runs for 140 days through May 27, 2019. Check here for a list of housing-related bills that we will be updating and tracking throughout the session.

Tenant-Landlord

HB 69
Author: Minjarez
Description: Establishes protocol for vacating housing and ending a lease after a tenant’s death

HB 174
Author: Canales
Description: Relating to the expunction of eviction records

HB 175
Author: Canales
Description: Limiting the amount of late fees that can be charged to tenants using a housing choice voucher

HB 188
Author: Bernal
Description: Prohibits housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity

HB 244
Author: Farrar
Description: Prohibits types of discrimination, including housing discrimination, based on sexual orientation or gender identity; provides an administrative penalty; creates a criminal offense

HB 254
Author: Bernal
Description: Similar to HB 244

HB 608
Author: Thierry
Description: Would permit the City of Houston to place a lien on residential property for unpaid substandard residential building fines

HB 624
Author: Neave
Description: Establishes a 7-day notification period for landlords to tenants of increases in rent prior to any notification period for tenants to landlords of notice to vacate

HB 970
Author: Walle
Description: Requires landlords to notify tenants in residential property, commercial property, or on manufactured home lots if property is located in a flood zone

HB 993
Author: Coleman
Description: Requires landlords to notify tenants in residential property if property is located in a flood zone or has been subjected to flooding in the past

HB 1002
Author: Collier
Description: Companion bill to SB 125

HB 1209
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Expands the types of documentation that a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence can provide to a landlord to terminate lease without future liability

HB 1257
Author: Rosenthal
Description: Repeals the prohibition on local governments adopting and enforcing ordinances that prohibit housing discrimination based on a tenant’s use of a housing choice voucher

HB 1519
Author: Phelan
Description: Relates to the calculation and reasonableness of late fees that can be charged by a landlord to a tenant for the late payment of rent

HB 1859
Author: Neave
Description: Requires that a landlord rekey a security device prior to each tenant turnover date

HB 1860
Author: Neave
Description: Requires that a landlord provide at least 48 hours notice in writing before entering a dwelling except in the case of an emergency

HB 2187
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Repeals the prohibition on local governments adopting and enforcing ordinances that prohibit housing discrimination based on a tenant’s use of a housing choice voucher

HB 2457
Author: Canales
Description: Requires a landlord to apply a payment from a tenant to unpaid rent before applying it to unpaid fees; prohibits a landlord from charging a fee on unpaid sums owned by a tenant that do not include rent

SB 125
Author: West
Description: Requires parking permits issued to a tenant by a landlord to be coterminous with a lease

SB 151
Author: Rodriguez, Hinojosa, Whitmire
Description: Similar to HB 244, HB 254

SB 234
Author: Nelson
Description: Expands the types of documentation which a victim of family violence can provide to a landlord in order to terminate a lease

SB 518
Author: Zaffirini
Description: Provides notification requirements, remedies, and other clarifications to tenants and landlords in the event of a casualty loss of a residential housing unit

SB 519
Author: Zaffirini
Description: Limiting the dissemination of eviction case information for certain eviction cases and rulings

SB 640
Author: Huffman
Description: Companion bill to HB 970

SB 886
Author: Menendez
Description: Prohibits housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity

SB 1047
Author: West
Description: Requires a landlord to provide 90 days notice to a tenant to relocate for the purposes of rehabilitation, demolition, or change in property use

SB 1414
Author: Hancock
Description: Relates to the calculation and reasonableness of late fees that can be charged by a landlord to a tenant for the late payment of rent

SB 1440
Author: Zaffirini
Description: Establishes a tenant’s right to occupy a rental housing unit in the event of a foreclosure by the property owner; requires successor in interest to provide tenant 90-day notice to vacate

Disaster Recovery

HB 274
Author: Davis, Sarah
Description: Creation of a Disaster Investment Fund and appropriation of $15 million from the Economic Stabilization (Rainy Day) Fund to it

HB 478
Author: Phelan
Description: Establishes the Flood Infrastructure Fund and funding sources; prioritizes the benefit to counties with a median household income of 85% or less of the state’s median household income

HB 492
Author: Shine
Description: Allows taxing units to establish temporary property tax exemptions for homesteads damaged after a disaster based on the level of damage

HB 493
Author: Shine
Description: Identical to HB 492, but allows taxing units to apply to Comptroller for a refund of exempted taxes; no funding source identified

HB 622
Author: Neave
Description: Allows owners of homesteads rendered unusable by a natural disaster to apply to County Appraisal Districts requesting that property taxes not be increased

HB 801
Author: Walle
Description: Companion to SB 179

HB 1010
Author: Paul
Description: Requiring TWDB and other stakeholders to create a state flood plan

HB 1152
Author: Bernal
Description: Prohibiting price gouging for building materials in a disaster declared area

HB 1296
Author: Davis, Sarah
Description: Requires the General Land Office to create a Disaster Case Management System to collect data from disaster survivors for the purposes of providing assistance by federal, state, local government and NGOs

HB 1299
Author: Davis, Sarah
Description: Requires the Comptroller to maintain a disaster expenditure database by political subdivision for all types of disaster-related funding

HB 1658
Author: Bell, Cecil
Description: Increases notification requirements from a seller to a buyer of residential property regarding flooding

HB 1842
Author: Thompson, Senfronia
Description: Companion bill to SB 812

HJR 34
Author: Shine
Description: Proposal of constitutional amendment for HB 492

HJR 35
Author: Shine
Description: Proposal of constitutional amendment for HB 493

SB 179
Author: Miles
Description: Establishes task force to study flooding in Harris County and report to the legislature by Dec. 1, 2020

SB 220
Author: Menendez
Description: Study on potential collaboration between Texas Department of Emergency Management and the United States Postal Service to assess damage after a natural disaster

SB 289
Author: Lucio
Description: Establishes a disaster recovery housing planning process administered by the General Land Office and in conjunction with Texas A&M University for local governments (“RAPIDO”)

SB 339
Author: Huffman
Description: Increased floodplain notification requirements from a seller to a buyer of residential property

SB 396
Author: Perry
Description: Requiring TWDB and counties governments to create a state flood plan, a dam repair and maintenance plan, and establishes an advisory committee of certain legislators and agency representatives

SB 397
Author: Perry
Description: Requires TWDB to prepare and adopt a 10-year Dam Repair and Maintenance Plan and produce report; establishes State Flood Plan Implementation Fund managed by the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company

SB 428
Author: Lucio
Description: Requiring a study by the Health & Human Services Commission and Texas Division of Emergency Management on the use of a single intake form for state and federal disaster assistance

SB 443
Author: Hancock
Description: Extends homestead exemption to property damaged by casualty wind or water damage and rendered uninhabitable or unusable from 2 years to 5 years for property in a disaster declared area

SB 492
Author: Alvarado
Description: Limiting property tax increases for certain recipients of disaster recovery housing assistance

SB 546
Author: Watson
Description: Allows tenants receiving other types of housing assistance to serve on the commission of a public housing authority

SB 563
Author: Perry
Description: Establishes reporting requirements for certain state entities that receive federal funding for flood research, planning, or mitigation to the Texas Water Development Board

SB 595
Author: Kolkhorst
Description: Requires an audit of CDBG-DR funds used by GLO and its subrecipients to be conducted annually

SB 695
Author: Creighton
Description: Establishes the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund; appropriates $3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund

SB 812
Author: Lucio, Bettencourt
Description: Limits increases in the appraised value, for property tax purposes, of certain residence homestead structures that replaced a structure rendered uninhabitable or unusable by casualty, wind damage, or water damage

SJR 28
Author: Perry
Description: Proposed constitutional amendment creating the State Flood Plan Implementation Fund and appropriating $1.2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund

Affordable Housing

HB 59
Author: Swanson
Description: Increases scoring priority for letters from state representatives regarding Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program applications; increases point value for sites in unincorporated urban areas

HB 96
Author: Swanson
Description: Increases notification requirements from LIHTC program applicants to neighborhood organizations; requires a “study of the development’s anticipated effects” on the area

HB 266
Author: Bernal
Description: Defines the terms “sanitary”, “decent”, and “safe dwelling” for housing developments funded by the TDHCA

HB 416
Author: Guerra
Description: Removes letters from state representatives as scoring criteria for the LIHTC program

HB 834
Author: Hernandez
Description: Allows counties to adopt a land bank program

HB 1194
Author: Dutton
Description: Providing a tax exemption from a school district for a property owner on property located near a school campus or in a Municipal Management District if property will be used to provide affordable housing

HB 1215
Author: Collier
Description: Makes permanent a sunset change to LIHTC program scoring criteria that prohibits the agency from using school quality as a scoring criterion

HB 1586
Author: Goodwin
Description: Companion to SB 544

HB 1839
Author: Thompson, Senfronia
Description: Allows the waiver of the two-mile rule in LIHTC program if the required local government approves the allocation of housing tax credits by vote

HB 1881
Author: Calanni
Description: Would exempt applicants to the LIHTC program from notification requirements to the county commissioners court for sites located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston

HB 1937
Author: Goldman
Description: Creates a state low-income housing tax credit program based on franchise and insurance tax credits

HB 1973
Author: Button
Description: Makes state representative letters of support scoring criteria in the LIHTC program only for sites located in unincorporated urban areas

HB 2054
Author: Rosenthal
Description: Expands the authority to create Homestead Preservation Districts to the City of Houston

HB 2185
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Provides authority for the City of Austin to create Homestead Preservation Districts

HB 2186
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Companion bill to SB 542

HB 2480
Author: Rosenthal
Description: Limits the amount of property taxes that may be imposed on the residence homestead of low-income households located in Homestead Preservation District

HB 2529
Author: Leach
Description: Companion bill to SB 546

HB 2532
Author: Gonzalez, Jessica
Description: Companion bill to SB 1128

HB 2943
Author: Button
Description: Removes letters from state representatives as scoring criteria for the LIHTC program

HB 3254
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Creates a 5% set-aside for supportive housing in the LIHTC program

HB 3272
Author: Gonzalez, Jessica
Description: Companion bill to SB 864

HB 3050
Author: Hinojosa
Description: Repeals the state ban on cities adopting and enforcing ordinances or requirements that establish a maximum sales price for a privately produced housing unit or residential building lot

SB 233
Author: Menendez
Description: Relating to a limit on the amount of certain private activity bonds for qualified residential rental projects

SB 335
Author: West
Description: Relating to the organization of Community Land Trusts and appraisal of property held by them

SB 493
Author: Alvarado
Description: Waives two-mile rule for LIHTC awards in disaster-declared areas

SB 542
Author: Watson
Description: Allows local governments to override the two-mile rule for LIHTC developments; rule would apply everywhere

SB 543
Author: Watson
Description: Requires LIHTC program applicants who own other developments receiving LIHTC to waive their right to a qualified contract in order to receive an award of LIHTC on a new application

SB 544
Author: Watson
Description: Relating to the allocation of funds under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act

SB 545
Author: Watson
Description: Requires that a neighborhood organization be in good standing with Secretary of State to receive notification in the LIHTC program or to award points; provides that a municipality may be notified and award points instead of a county when applicable

SB 547
Author: Watson
Description: Increases the period that property acquired by a charitable organization to be used for affordable housing may be exempted from ad valorem taxation from 5 to 10 years after acquisition

SB 864
Author: Watson
Description: Promotes the use of rights of first refusal in awarding Low Income Housing Tax Credits; extends ROFR notice periods from 60 to 120 days; requires that properties be offered for sale at minimum price as defined in Section 42 of Internal Revenue Code of 1986

SB 958
Author: Johnson
Description: Provides a right of first refusal to public housing authorities and their corporations on property that is subject to the Rental Assistance Demonstration program

SB 1019
Author: Alvarado
Description: Pilot home repair grant program for owners who make the housing available to HCV and VASH holders; funded by existing Housing Trust Fund resources

SB 1114
Author: Lucio
Description: Allows school districts to sell below market value or donate real property for the use of affordable housing for school district staff

SB 1115
Author: Lucio
Description: Provides authority for counties to adopt land bank programs

SB 1117
Author: Lucio
Description: Provides authority for all municipalities to adopt a land bank program that do not already operate such a program under Chapters 379C, 379D, 379E, or 373A; establishes program regulations that do not apply to programs under these chapters

SB 1118
Author: Lucio
Description: Codifies into statute the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program under TDHCA

SB 1128
Author: West
Description: Modifies criteria that must be met by the City of Dallas in designating an area as a Homestead Preservation District

Environmental Justice

HB 944
Author: Dutton
Description: Requires a notification sign on site where a permit is being sought from TCEQ

HB 999
Author: Collier
Description: Expands the persons/entities who can request a public hearing from the TCEQ regarding the construction of a concrete plant

HB 1280
Author: Allen
Description: Expands the persons/entities who can request a public hearing from the TCEQ regarding the construction of a concrete plant

HB 1309
Author: Dutton
Description: Changes to the permitting of Ready-Mixed Concrete facilities

HB 1310
Author: Dutton
Description: Duplicate bill of HB 1280

SB 180
Author: Miles
Description: Regulates expansion of environmentally hazardous facilities in communities of color

SB 417
Author: Miles
Description: Increases site regulations and permit application requirements for concrete batch plant and concrete crushing facilities

SB 638
Author: Huffman
Description: Requires seller disclosure if a property is within 1-mile of a TCEQ-permitted landfill

Farmworker Housing

HB 50
Author: Romero
Description: Improving the regulation of migrant farmworker housing

HB 206
Author: Bernal
Description: Improving the regulation of migrant farmworker housing

SB 224
Author: Flores
Description: Exempting H-2A program housing from TDHCA licensing requirements

SB 360
Author: Rodriguez
Description: TDHCA study on migrant labor housing facilities

SB 697
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Companion bill to HB 50

Consumer Protection

HB 90
Author: Ortega
Description: Relating to the regulation of wrap mortgages

HB 1176
Author: Darby
Description: Reduces time period to exercise right of action over interest in real property conveyed by an instrument with defects; includes defects caused by non-governmental entities

SB 42
Author: Zaffirini
Description: Companion bill to HB 90

SB 1402
Author: Rodriguez
Description: Allows El Paso and Hidalgo Counties to apply Model Subdivision Rules to subdivisions that are less than 50% occupied

Tax and Finance

HB 160
Author: Raymond
Description: Extending a $10,000 homestead exemption to parents or guardians of a minor with disability

HB 360
Author: Murphy
Description: Extending the sunset date to 2029 for Chapter 312 of the Tax Code allowing cities to provide tax abatements

HB 499
Author: Button
Description: Duplicate bill to HB 360

HB 675
Author: Thierry
Description: Relating to a study and report by the Comptroller on the establishment and implementation of a program that provides financial assistance to property owners who offer housing to veterans at risk of homelessness

HB 1148
Author: Murphy
Description: Changes annual interest rate for deferred or abated ad valorem taxes from five percent to the five-year Constant Maturity Treasury Rate

HB 1201
Author: Raymond
Description: Providing a property tax exemption for a charitable organization that provides housing counseling services and rental housing to low- and moderate-income households

HB 1583
Author: Neave
Description: Establishes a TDHCA loan program for assisting federal employees with housing costs in the event of a government shutdown

HB 1841
Author: Thompson: Senfronia
Description: Companion bill to SB 836

HJR 11
Author: Gonzales, Mary
Description: Providing bond authority to the Texas Water Development Board for infrastructure projects in Economically Distressed Areas

SB 118
Author: West
Description: Companion bill to HB 360/499

SB 350
Author: Powell
Description: Removes sunset provision for Ch. 312 of the Tax Code

SB 826
Author: Hancock
Description: Creates a state tax incentive program that pairs with Opportunity Zones in rural areas (Towns with Pop. < 50,000 and Counties with pop. < 200,000) by providing insurance tax credits for investment in eligible small businesses with eligible plan; assesses a penalty on tax credit award if plan not met

SB 836
Author: Miles
Description: Limits a chief appraiser from appraising a housing unit subject to a community land trust land use restriction for an amount that exceeds the price for which the housing unit may be sold per the land use restriction in a given tax year

SB 1046
Author: Birdwell
Description: Extends the sunset date of the Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act by 10 years; requires certain information to be provided with the public meeting notice regarding a property and proposed improvements being considered for a tax abatement

SB 1079
Author: Watson
Description: Requires the Comptroller to conduct a study on the use of a “circuit breaker”, where property tax liability would be related to a homeowner’s income

Behavioral Health and Supportive Housing

HB 53
Author: Minjarez
Description: Relating to the transitional living services program for certain youth in foster care

HB 1465
Author: Moody
Description: Requiring a study on the expansion of recovery housing in Texas for residents suffering from substance abuse

HB 1952
Author: Zerwas
Description: Prohibits the enforcement of restrictive covenants by a property owners’ association that effectively prohibit the use of property as a eligible community home; creates regulations related to parking at a community home

SB 1000
Author: Watson
Description: Prohibits a municipality from adopting a zoning or land use code that prohibits a religious organization from using its facilities to provide housing for homeless individuals; allows adoption and enforcement of reasonable health and safety regulations

SB 1116
Author: Lucio
Description: Creates a tax credit program administered by TSAHC for the development of supportive housing


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