Issue 88.7
Director of Regulatory Affairs
Governor Abbott delivered his State of the State address in which he revealed his priorities for the Texas Legislature. This biennial requirement of the Texas Constitution included a break from the tradition of delivering the speech in the House Chamber for the second time in a row. Governor Abbott has chosen to emphasize Texas business economic exceptionalism by delivering the address from cutting edge companies in Lockhart two years ago and in San Marcos last night.
Emergency items named by the Governor can be immediately addressed by the Legislature instead of waiting until March 10th. Seven items were listed as emergencies:
1) Property Tax Relief in the amount of $15 billion currently included in the appropriation bills;
2) Ending Covid Mandate restrictions forever and prohibiting local governments from shutting down religious or business activities;
3) Educational Freedom and school choice by expanding to all students the State funded Education Saving Accounts already being used for special needs students;
4) School Safety by making security enhancements at every campus and hiring additional mental health professionals;
5) Bail Reform by ending revolving door bail;
6) Border Security upgraded with an additional $4.6 billion, with increased enforcement actions for smuggling and the
7) Fentanyl Crisis addressed by classifying it as poisoning and prosecuting distributors for murder.
Weekly Highlight
• HB 1660 Capriglione, Giovanni – Shortens the timeframe for notifying the attorney general of a breach of security of computerized data involving at least 250 Texas residents from 60 days to 30 days. Requires notification be submitted electronically using a form accessed through the attorney general’s website.
To read the full text of any of these bills you can go to Texas Legislature Online.
New Bills
• HB 1844 Capriglione, Giovanni – Relating to the regulation of the collection, use, processing, and treatment of consumers’ personal data by certain business entities; imposing a civil penalty.
• HB 2186 Davis, Yvonne – Relating to the authority of a county clerk to require a person to present photo identification to file a document in the real property records of a county.
• SB 711 Perry, Charles – Relating to the purchase of or other acquisition of title to real property by prohibited foreign actors.
• SB 801 Hughes, Brian – Relating to an instrument that names a trust as a party.
Previously Reported Bills
• HB 92 Landgraf, Brooks – Relating to the authority of a municipality, county, or property owners’ association to prohibit or regulate certain activities on residence homestead property.
• HB 207 Murr, Andrew – Relating to the exclusion of certain conveyances from classification as sham or pretended sales.
• HB 217 Murr, Andrew – (HB 217 was previously filed in 87th Session as HB 2621 but left pending in Committee without a vote.) Relating to the limitation on the amount of a subcontractor’s lien for labor or materials.
• HB 219 Noble, Candy – (HB 219 was previously filed in 87th Session as HB 3278 but left pending in Committee without a vote.) Relating to the release of a deed of trust or other contract lien securing a home loan after payoff by mortgagor.
• HB 264 Toth, Steve – (HB 264 was previously filed in 87th Session as HB 2284 it was approved in Committee and sent to Calendars.) Relating to requirements for the physical presence of a borrower for signing certain documents related to a home equity loan.
• HB 287 Johnson, Julie – Relating to payment of the replacement cost of damaged property under a homeowner’s, renter’s, or condominium owner’s insurance policy.
• HB 523 Vasut, Cody – Relating to the authority of an appraisal review board to direct changes in the appraisal roll and related appraisal records if a residence homestead is sold for less than the appraised value.
• HB 645 Toth, Steve – Relating to prohibiting financial institutions and other businesses from using value-based criteria.
• HB 697 Holland, Justin – Relating to seller’s disclosures regarding fuel gas piping in residential real property.
• HB 709 Harris, Cody – Relating to prohibiting the use of certain credit scores, including environmental, social, or governance scores and social credit scores, by certain financial institutions and other lenders in this state.
• HB 738 Gonzalez, Jessica – Relating to a right of first refusal applicable to the sale of housing developments that have received certain financial assistance administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
• HB 886 Shaheen, Matt – (HB 886 was previously filed in 87th Session as HB 3857 but left pending in Committee without a vote.) Relating to requirements to file a property owners’ association assessment lien.
• HB 1012 González, Jessica – Relating to the prohibition of certain discrimination; authorizing civil penalties.
• HB 1056 Hinojosa, Gina – Relating to the registration of financial institutions and investment firms that lease residential real property.
• HB 1057 Hinojosa, Gina – Relating to restrictions on the purchase of a single-family home by an investment firm.
• HB 1075 Harris | Button | Jetton – Relating to certain property interests of a foreign government in agricultural land.
• HB 1195 Holland, Justin – Relating to the authority of a county to require photo Identification to file certain documents with the county clerk. This bill strikes the existing population threshold of 800,000 citizens and extends the existing authority to all Texas counties. (Companion to SB 319)
• HB 1244 Shine, Hugh – (HB 1244 was previously filed in 87th Session as HB 991 but never received a committee hearing.) Relating to the authority of the owner of a residence homestead to receive a discount for making an early payment of the ad valorem taxes on the homestead.
• HB 1256 Holland, Justin – Relating to seller’s disclosure notice concerning special districts in which residential real property is located.
• HB 1319 Shine, Hugh – Relating to the electronic payments required or permitted under the Property Tax Code; authorizing a fee.
• HB 1660 Capriglione, Giovanni – Relating to the process for notifying the attorney general of a breach of security of computerized data by persons doing business in this state.
• HB 1674 Holland, Justin – Relating to certain sales or purported sales of homestead property that are classified as loans. (Companion to SB 613)
• HB 1704 Walle, Armando – Relating to the establishment of the workforce housing capital investment fund program to fund the development of workforce housing in this state; authorizing a fee.
• HB 1823 Sherman, Carl – Relating to certain documents or instruments purporting to convey real or personal property.
• HJR 20 Toth, Steve – (HJR 20 was previously filed in 87th Session as HJR 104 it was approved in Committee and sent to Calendars.) Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for exceptions to the requirement that a home equity loan be closed only at the office of the lender, an attorney at law, or a title company.
• HJR 29 Schofield, Mike – (HJR 29 was previously filed in 87th Session as HJR 43 but left pending in Committee without a vote.) Proposing a constitutional amendment providing that a residence homestead is not subject to seizure or sale for delinquent ad valorem taxes.
• SB 62 Zaffirini, Judith – Relating to posting certain documents and information related to certain real property sales on a county’s Internet website.
• SB 147 Kolkhorst, Lois – Relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities.
• SB 319 Hall, Bob – Relating to the authority of a county to require photo Identification to file certain documents with the county clerk. This bill strikes the existing population threshold of 800,000 citizens and extends the existing authority to all Texas counties. (Companion to HB 1195)
• SB 552 Campbell, Donna – Relating to prohibiting contracts or other agreements with certain foreign-owned companies in connection with agricultural land.
• SB 570 West, Royce – (SB 570 was previously filed in 87th Session as SB 265 and its companion HB 1470 Rodriguez, Eddie, but neither received committee hearings.) Relating to the prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of a person’s source of income and to the enforcement of that prohibition.
• SB 613 Springer, Drew – Relating to certain sales or purported sales of homestead property that are classified as loans. (Companion to HB 1674)
If you have questions about these specific bills or the Texas legislative process in general, please reach out to Doug Foster or one of our our firm’s attorneys or representatives at: https://www.mortgagelaw.com/our-team/