A person may not offer or sell a timeshare interest unless the plan is registered, with limited exceptions for presales and other specified provisions.
Sec. 221.021. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (d) of this section or another provision of this chapter, a person may not offer or dispose of a timeshare interest unless the timeshare plan is registered with the commission. (b) Before a registration application for a timeshare plan is submitted or completed, a developer or any person acting on the developer's behalf may accept a reservation and a deposit from a prospective purchaser if the deposit is placed in a segregated escrow account with an independent escrow agent and if the deposit is fully refundable at any time at the request of the purchaser. The deposit may not be forfeited unless the purchaser affirmatively creates a binding obligation by a subsequent written instrument. (c) A developer or any person acting on the developer's behalf may not offer or dispose of a timeshare interest during any period within which there is in effect an order by the commission or by any court of competent jurisdiction revoking or suspending the registration of the timeshare plan of which such timeshare interest is a part. (d) At the developer's request, the commission may authorize the developer to conduct presales before a timeshare plan is registered if the registration application is administratively complete, as determined by the commission or as established by commission rule. The authorization for presales permits the developer to offer and dispose of timeshare interests during the period the application is in process. To obtain a presales authorization, the developer must: (1) submit a written request to the commission for an authorization to conduct presales; (2) submit an administratively complete application for registration, including appropriate fees and exhibits required by the commission; and (3) provide evidence acceptable to the commission that all funds received by the developer will be placed with an escrow agent with instructions requiring the funds to be retained until a registration application is complete as determined by the commission. (e) During the presales authorization period, the developer must: (1) provide to each purchaser and prospective purchaser a copy of the proposed timeshare disclosure statement that the developer submitted to the commission with the initial registration application; and (2) offer each purchaser the opportunity to cancel the purchase contract as provided by Section 221.041. (f) After the final timeshare disclosure statement is approved by the commission, the developer must: (1) give each purchaser and prospective purchaser a copy of the final timeshare disclosure statement; and (2) if the commission determines that a materially adverse change exists between the disclosures contained in the proposed timeshare disclosure statement and the final timeshare disclosure statement, provide the purchaser a second opportunity to cancel the purchase contract as provided by Section 221.041. (g) The requirements of this subchapter remain in effect during the period the developer offers or disposes of timeshare interests of the timeshare plan registered with the commission. The developer must notify the commission in writing when all of the timeshare interests of a timeshare plan have been disposed of. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 167, Sec. 6.03, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Renumbered from Sec. 201.021 by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 13.03(b), eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 539 (H.B. 1045), Sec. 4, eff. January 15, 2006.