85R11262 SLB-F     By: Burton S.B. No. 1082       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the ownership and local regulation of trees and timber.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Title 6, Natural Resources Code, is amended by   adding Chapter 154 to read as follows:   CHAPTER 154. OWNERSHIP AND LOCAL REGULATION OF TREES AND TIMBER          Sec. 154.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                (1)  "Governmental entity" means a political   subdivision of the state, including:                      (A)  a municipality; and                      (B)  a county.                (2)  "Removal of a tree" means the harvesting, cutting,   or destruction of a tree, including the damaging of a tree in a way   that will cause the death of the tree on or before the first   anniversary of the date of the damage, as determined by a   governmental entity.          Sec. 154.002.  OWNERSHIP OF TREES AND TIMBER. A landowner   owns all trees and timber located on the landowner's land as real   property until cut or otherwise removed from the land, unless   otherwise provided by a contract, bill of sale, deed, mortgage,   deed of trust, or other legally binding document.          Sec. 154.003.  LOCAL REGULATION OF TREES AND TIMBER. (a)  A   governmental entity may not:                (1)  prohibit a landowner from trimming or removing   trees or timber located on the landowner's land; or                (2)  assess a fee against a landowner who removes trees   or timber from the landowner's land.          (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, a municipality may not   regulate the trimming or removal of trees or timber in the   extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.