Plain English summary not yet available
The full original text is available below. Check back soon as we process this bill.
      By: Vo H.B. No. 3497       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to certain deposits or fees required to be provided by a   tenant or prospective tenant in connection with a residential   lease.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 92.001, Property Code, is amended by   adding Subdivision (5-a) to read as follows:                 (5-a)     "Security deposit" means a security deposit   described by Section 92.102.          SECTION 2.  Section 92.102, Property Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 92.102.  SECURITY DEPOSIT. A security deposit is :                 (1)   any advance of money, other than a rental   application deposit or an advance payment of rent, that is intended   primarily to secure performance under a lease of a dwelling that has   been entered into by a landlord and a tenant or to secure payment   for future damage to the leased premises;                 (2)     any up front or recurring fee that a landlord   requires a tenant to pay to the landlord or third party to cover   future damages to the leased premises or to cover future lease   violations; and                 (3)     any fee that a landlord requires a tenant to pay to   the landlord as a result of a tenant's eviction history or credit   history prior to leasing the unit, not including application fees .          SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only   to a lease entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of   this Act. A lease entered into or renewed before the effective date   of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before   the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect   for that purpose.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.