Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 959 amends the law relating to standards for the elimination of architectural barriers. The act changes the oversight and rulemaking authority for architectural barrier standards from the commissioner of licensing and regulation to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation. The act applies the standards from the Americans with Disabilities Act to any facility covered by this article that is renovated, rather than substantially renovated on or after a specific date. The act prohibits the commission from waiving or modifying a standard or specification that would result in any violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its subsequent amendments. The act also adds interior designer and landscape architect to the list of definitions covered by this article.

            The act provides new guidelines for the submission of plans and specifications to the commission, eliminates automatic approval of submitted plans, and eliminates the requirement that a municipality be contracted to perform reviews and inspections of certain facilities.