S.B. No. 243 aims to enhance the regulation of migrant labor housing facilities in Texas by amending existing laws and introducing new provisions. A key change is the adjustment of civil penalties for violations, now set at a minimum of $50 for each person occupying the facility in violation, replacing the previous penalty of $200 for each day the violation occurred. The bill broadens the enforcement mechanisms for these penalties, allowing actions to be initiated by the department, county attorneys, the attorney general, or migrant agricultural workers under certain conditions. It also establishes a structured complaint submission process, including timelines for notification and remediation, and includes measures to prevent retaliation against complainants.

Additionally, the bill mandates the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to provide multilingual information in areas with a high prevalence of migrant labor housing facilities and to conduct research on common types of these facilities and regional housing needs. It also allows for the awarding of attorney's fees to prevailing parties in lawsuits and promotes interagency cooperation to identify unlicensed facilities. The department is required to adopt necessary rules by March 1, 2026, and the amendments will only apply to violations occurring after the effective date of the Act, set for September 1, 2025.

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