A burglar alarm policy bill has been passed by the Texas
House of Representatives and is on its way to the Texas
State Senate. The bill would put guidelines on what burglar
alarm policies cities in the Lone Star State can enact and
limit how much cities could charge for alarm permits and
false alarm fines.
House Bill 2304 passed the House on May 5 “by engrossment,”
meaning it was passed without a voice vote as it was
clear “every member present must have favored passage,”
according to Texas state law. The bill also enjoyed easy
passage on its way to the House after a unanimous 9-0 vote
in committee.
The bill also requires
police response from cities to every burglar alarm as
long as false alarm fines are paid, but also allows for the
revoking of an alarm permit for alarm customers with eight
or more false alarms.
Before the bill headed off to the Senate, four amendments
were added. Among them was one that mandates that a city
cannot refuse to issue an alarm permit to an individual
unit of a multiunit housing facility, while another
requires alarm companies to furnish a written alarm
contract that includes the client’s fee arrangement.
