The proposed bill, known as the Ready to Rent Texas Act, aims to establish a verified residential rental application process through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. It introduces a new subchapter to the Property Code, which includes definitions for key terms such as "applicant," "landlord," and "verified application." The bill mandates that landlords must accept a verified application as fulfilling their application requirements if it is issued within 90 days prior to submission. Additionally, landlords are prohibited from requiring any other rental application or charging application fees or deposits.

The bill also outlines the responsibilities of the Department in developing an online portal for applicants to obtain verified applications, submit necessary documentation, and authorize background checks. The Department may charge a reasonable fee for the verified application but cannot exceed the actual costs for obtaining criminal history checks or credit reports. Furthermore, the bill repeals a previous provision regarding rental application deposits and sets a deadline for the portal's availability by December 31, 2025, with the Act taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Property Code 92.102 (Property Code 92)