(a) A hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse keeper may hold a person's property, including baggage, at the keeper's option and at the property owner's risk if the property owner:
- (1) forwards the property to the hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse before becoming a guest;
- (2) leaves the property in the hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse lobby before checking the property or becoming a guest; or
- (3) allows the property to remain in the hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse after the innkeeper and guest relationship has ceased and without checking the property.
- (b) If a person checks property at a hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse and leaves the property at the hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse free of charge for one week without being a guest, the hotel, apartment hotel, or boardinghouse keeper may, absent a special agreement, continue to hold the property after the first week at the property owner's risk.
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.