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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements governing officers and directors of |
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condominium unit owners' associations and property owners' |
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associations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Property Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 81.2011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 81.2011. BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS. (a) Each officer |
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or member of a board of directors or other governing body, if any, |
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of a condominium regime is: |
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(1) liable as a fiduciary of the unit owners for the |
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officer's or member's acts or omissions; and |
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(2) subject to Sections 82.103(f) and (g), 82.1031, |
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and 82.1032. |
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(b) For purposes of this section, a reference to "this |
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chapter" in Section 82.1031 means Chapter 81 and Chapter 82. |
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(c) To the extent a fiduciary duty imposed by Subsection |
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(a)(1) conflicts with a duty imposed by Chapter 22, Business |
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Organizations Code, Subsection (a)(1) prevails. |
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SECTION 2. Section 82.103, Property Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) To the extent a duty imposed by Subsection (a) |
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conflicts with a duty imposed by Chapter 22, Business Organizations |
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Code, Subsection (a) prevails. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 82, Property Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 82.1031 and 82.1032 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 82.1031. BOARD MEMBER AND OFFICER DUTIES. (a) Before |
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taking office, an officer or board member of a unit owners' |
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association shall read: |
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(1) this chapter; |
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(2) the dedicatory instruments and written policies of |
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the condominium regime and the unit owners' association; and |
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(3) if applicable, Chapter 22, Business Organizations |
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Code. |
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(b) While in office, an officer or board member of a unit |
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owners' association shall: |
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(1) uphold and comply with: |
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(A) this chapter; |
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(B) the dedicatory instruments and written |
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policies of the condominium regime and the unit owners' |
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association; and |
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(C) if applicable, Chapter 22, Business |
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Organizations Code; and |
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(2) faithfully discharge the fiduciary duties the |
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officer or board member owes to the unit owners. |
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(c) Not later than the 90th day after the date an officer or |
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board member is elected or appointed, the officer or board member |
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shall file a sworn statement with the secretary of the association |
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affirming that the officer or board member: |
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(1) has complied with Subsection (a); and |
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(2) while serving as an officer or board member, will |
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comply with Subsection (b). |
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(d) An officer or board member is required to comply with |
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Subsection (c) only after the officer or board member is first |
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elected or appointed, unless the officer or board member does not |
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serve continuously. |
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(e) An officer or board member who fails to comply with |
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Subsection (c) is temporarily suspended from office until the date |
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the officer or board member complies with that subsection. The |
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board may appoint another person to perform the duties of the office |
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until the earlier of the date the officer's or board member's term |
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of office expires or the date the officer or board member complies |
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with Subsection (c). The temporary appointee must comply with |
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Subsection (c). |
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(f) The association shall keep with the association records |
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under Section 82.114 each sworn statement filed under Subsection |
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(c) until at least the fifth anniversary of the date the officer or |
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board member who filed the statement was elected or appointed. |
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Sec. 82.1032. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE. If the board of a unit |
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owners' association is presented with written, documented evidence |
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from a database or other record maintained by a governmental law |
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enforcement authority that a board member of the association has |
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been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, the |
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board member is immediately ineligible to serve in that capacity, |
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automatically removed from office, and prohibited from future |
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service as a board member of the association. |
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SECTION 4. Chapter 209, Property Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 209.00595 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 209.00595. OFFICER OR BOARD MEMBER DUTIES. (a) Before |
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taking office, an officer or board member of a property owners' |
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association shall read: |
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(1) this chapter; and |
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(2) the dedicatory instruments and written policies of |
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the property owners' association. |
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(b) While in office, an officer or board member of a |
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property owners' association shall: |
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(1) uphold and comply with: |
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(A) this chapter; and |
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(B) the dedicatory instruments and written |
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policies of the residential subdivision and the property owners' |
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association; and |
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(2) faithfully discharge the officer's or board |
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member's duties. |
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(c) Not later than the 90th day after the date an officer or |
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board member is elected or appointed, the officer or board member |
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shall file a sworn statement with the secretary of the association |
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affirming that the officer or board member: |
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(1) has complied with Subsection (a); and |
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(2) while serving as an officer or board member, will |
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comply with Subsection (b). |
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(d) An officer or board member is required to comply with |
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Subsection (c) only after the officer or board member is first |
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elected or appointed, unless the officer or board member does not |
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serve continuously. |
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(e) An officer or board member who fails to comply with |
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Subsection (c) is temporarily suspended from office until the date |
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the officer or board member complies with that subsection. The |
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board may appoint another person to perform the duties of the office |
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until the earlier of the date the officer's or board member's term |
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of office expires or the date the officer or board member complies |
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with Subsection (c). The temporary appointee must comply with |
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Subsection (c). |
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(f) The association shall keep with the association records |
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under Section 209.005 each sworn statement filed under Subsection |
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(c) until at least the fifth anniversary of the date the officer or |
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board member who filed the statement was elected or appointed. |
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SECTION 5. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply to |
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an officer or board member of a unit owners' association or a |
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property owners' association who is: |
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(1) elected or appointed to office on or after the |
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effective date of this Act; or |
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(2) serving in office on the effective date of this |
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Act. |
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(b) Not later than December 1, 2015, an officer or board |
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member of a unit owners' association or a property owners' |
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association serving in office on the effective date of this Act must |
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comply with the requirements imposed by Section 82.1031 or |
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209.00595, Property Code, as added by this Act, as applicable. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |