Relating to certain deadlines and other timing factors affecting mechanic's, contractor's, or materialman's liens.

Contracts

• Master Service Agreements (MSAs): Review "Notice" and "Default" provisions. If your contract defines "days" strictly as calendar days without exception, it may conflict with the new statutory extension. Amend language to align notice deadlines with Texas Property Code Chapter 53 as amended by SB929 to avoid breach of contract claims during a valid statutory extension.
• Real Estate Closing Docs: Sellers must update Affidavits of Debts and Liens to accurately reflect that unrecorded professional service liens may no longer hold priority over the purchaser.

Hiring/Training

• Accounts Receivable & Legal Staff: Train staff on the new "Weekend/Holiday Rule." They must understand that while the law permits filing on the next business day, this is a hard deadline. Missing the extended Tuesday deadline after a holiday weekend is fatal to the lien.
• Design Professionals: Architects and Engineers must be trained to record affidavits of lien immediately upon non-payment. You can no longer rely on the "relation back" doctrine to the start of the project for priority against new owners.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Lien Calendaring Software: Reprogram all automated lien tracking software. Remove logic that forces Friday filings for Sunday deadlines; replace it with logic that targets the following Monday (or Tuesday, if Monday is a holiday).
• Holiday Documentation: If utilizing the holiday extension, retain proof of the specific legal holiday (e.g., county courthouse closure notice) in the job file to defend against motions to remove the lien for untimeliness.

Fees & Costs

• No Statutory Fee Increases: Filing fees remain unchanged.
• Reduced Litigation Risk: The codification of the weekend rule should reduce legal spend previously wasted on arguing whether a Monday filing was valid.