The Texas Senate unanimously passed the Homeowners Religious Freedom Act on April 6, according to a press report.
The bill, SB 581, is designed to permit owners the liberty to display spiritual icons in their yard without reproach from any Homeowners Associations (HOA) that may regulate against such displays.
"Today #SB581 passed unanimously 31-0 through the Texas Senate to protect homeowners who wish to place religious displays on their front yard," State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston said in a tweet. "HOAs should not have the right to prevent free exercise of your religious freedom."
Bettencourt, who sponsored the bill, stated that too many homeowners 'associations have enacted restrictive rules requiring the removal of religious images from homeowners' property.
“The HOA does not own your property and should not be in the business of placing overly burdensome restrictions on the free exercise of your religion,” Bettencourt said.
The author of the bill, State Rep. Mike Schofield, agreed with this sentiment in a statement.
“Preventing someone from having a religious symbol on their own lawn is an infringement on freedom that is positively un-Texan, and it must stop," Schofield said.
Schofield also presented an identical bill in the Texas House.
“The bottom line is simply that if a homeowner wants to display a Nativity Scene, put a Cross or Menorah on their door, or exercise their religious freedom, whatever their religion might be, a homeowners association should not have the right to prevent that,” Bettencourt said.
The bill is one of 36 HOA regulatory acts currently on legislators' desks.
One such bill, HB 2387, would reduce legal fees if an HOA fined or sued an individual, as it would have to go to Justice of the Peace courts where neither party would need a lawyer to represent them.
Bettencourt represents the Seventh Senate District of Texas, which covers most of West Harris County.