The bill, S.B. No. 1335, amends various sections of the Estates Code in Texas to clarify and update the procedures related to decedents' estates. Key changes include the specification that letters testamentary or of administration must be issued under the court's seal, and the removal process for personal representatives has been refined. The court can now remove a personal representative either on its own motion after notifying the representative by certified mail or upon the complaint of an interested person, ensuring due process is followed. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for discharging personal representatives and canceling letters when no estate property remains or when the estate has been fully administered.

Further amendments include the requirement for the court to specify actions related to the discharge of personal representatives and the cancellation of letters, as well as the release of sureties on the personal representative's bond. The bill also clarifies that the closing of an independent administration terminates the authority of the independent executor or administrator and cancels the letters issued to them. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply to motions or complaints made on or after that date, while prior motions or complaints will be governed by the law in effect at that time.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Estates Code 306.007, Estates Code 361.052, Estates Code 362.012, Estates Code 362.013, Estates Code 405.001, Estates Code 405.007, Estates Code 405.009 (Estates Code 362, Estates Code 306, Estates Code 405, Estates Code 361)