“Don’t mess with Texas” has been the unofficial slogan of the Lone Star State since 1985. While the rest of the country thinks it’s just a catchphrase, true Texans know it actually began as an anti-littering campaign. The saying is especially fitting now because the State of Texas does not want remediation contractors littering the state with contracts that do not comply with its unique laws. These laws are traps for the unwary.
Texas is the only state I know of that has a separate body of statutes specifically targeting “disaster remediation contracts.” The rules are very specific and have more twists than a pretzel factory, particularly when it comes to lien rights. The state is on the lookout for crooked contractors, and violators can land in the hoosegow.