The regular session of the 87th Texas Legislature ended May 31 with several REALTOR® victories on behalf of Texas real estate consumers and private property rights. Thanks to your support, the following REALTOR®-supported bills are moving on to the governor’s desk to be signed into law (as of June 1, 2021):
- HOA Reform: Senate Bill 1588 (authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes and sponsored by Rep. Chris Turner) makes several pro-homeowner reforms, including a cap on resale certificate fees, increased transparency in HOA management, and better due process to resolve disputes.
- Removing Discriminatory Covenants from Deeds: Senate Bill 30 (authored by Sen. Royce West and sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach) provides property owners a way to remove discriminatory covenants from their real estate deeds via the county clerk’s office.
- Increasing Broadband Access: House Bill 5 (authored by Rep. Trent Ashby and sponsored by Sen. Robert Nichols) provides resources to expand access to broadband internet in eligible areas of the state.
- Civil Liability Reform: Senate Bill 6 (authored by Sen. Kelly Hancock and sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach) ensures that small business owners, like REALTORS®, can continue to provide their essential services during times of crisis with protections from certain claims.
- Eminent Domain Reform: House Bill 2730 (authored by Rep. Joe Deshotel and sponsored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst) makes the eminent domain process more fair and helps make property owners more aware of their rights when an entity with eminent domain authority seeks to acquire their property.
Your Voice was Heard
These victories are thanks to your grassroots engagement, meetings with legislators during virtual REALTOR® Day at the Texas Capitol, and your timely response to a call for action. Look for more info about REALTOR® wins in the legislative session in the July issue of Texas REALTOR® magazine.
With the voter suppression, open carry, and restrictive abortion efforts there is little we can be proud of.
That doesn’t even deserve a comment.
Agreed.
Calling that voter suppression is misinformation.
100%
AGREE
I’m quite proud.
Killing babies is abominable, we should absolutely know who is voting, and it is called Constitutional Carry.
At least the voter suppression bill was not passed, thanks to Democrats exiting the Capitol before the vote was called. Reminds me of the “Killer Bees” from a few decades ago. These guys had it easy since the legislative term was nearly up. The Killer Bees were being hunted by Texas Rangers for weeks.
Have you ever worked at a voting center. None of the new rules are at all suppressive. We make people show ID at closings, but the most valuable right we have to preserve liberty, and the Republic, you want just anyone including felons and non citizens to get. Not to mention fraud of double voting. If ballots were mailed to all living on our property, I could vote every one and mail them back. That would be 7 votes for me. And no one is denied water for Pete’s sake.
As a registered voter, I find it discrimatory that I am asked for anything other than my voter registration card. Not all have a picture Id for many reasons, this state needs to reverse its republican direction and give the voice to the people for the people. Lets get moving before we are a land of the RICH only.
When you go to the doctor, bank, airport, liquor store and so many other thing that we are involved in during our daily lives we have to show a picture ID. Get a grip you whiney babies!
How about discrimination against Housing Voucher Tenants? There’s a pending SB protecting the Tenants under the Housing Voucher program from segregation. HOA communities can’t be above a Federal Law. Sec 8 Tenants are one of the protected groups under Fair Housing Act.