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Senate Bill 540 |
Senate Author: Carona |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Smith |
Senate Bill 540 amends the Health and Safety Code to remove the requirement that a registered elevator inspector be certified as a QEI-1 inspector by an organization accredited by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and instead requires that a registered inspector be certified as an inspector in accordance with the rules adopted by the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation. The bill requires the commission by rule to provide for the registration, including certification, of elevator inspectors, rather than registration of qualified inspectors, and clarifies that the general liability insurance the commission is required to provide for by rule as a condition of contractor registration is to be written by an insurer authorized to engage in the business of insurance in Texas or an eligible surplus lines insurer. The bill requires a registered inspector to comply with the continuing education requirements established by commission rule for registration renewal and removes a statutory limitation on the number of continuing education hours that an inspector may be required to attend. The bill prohibits a registered inspector from inspecting equipment if the inspector or inspector's employer has a financial or personal conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety related to the inspection of that equipment.