SLC S.B. 1394 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS LAND & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT S.B. 1394 By: Lindsay (Hamric) 5-8-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, Harris County is required to apply for and obtain building permits from the City of Houston for all work performed by the county within the city. When building within the city limits of Houston, often the county must pull an employee from a job to go downtown to retrieve the required permit. On occasion, this triggers a complete shutdown of a project or a work crew being rendered inactive while waiting for the individual to return. In addition, it sometimes takes weeks to get the particular plans approved by the city. S.B. 1394 would allow large counties to build or renovate county-owned buildings or facilities within the city limits of a municipality without being required to receive a building permit from the municipality. This would apply only when the work performed is done by the the county's personnel or by county personnel acting as general contractor. This bill would not exempt a county from complying with a municipality's building code standards when performing construction or renovation work. PURPOSE SB 1394 outlines provisions regarding the authority of a municipality to require a building permit for construction and renovation work on county-owned buildings and facilities by certain counties. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 212Z, Local Government Code, by adding Section 212.903, as follows: Sec. 212.903. CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION WORK ON COUNTY-OWNED BUILDINGS OR FACILITIES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. Provides that this section applies only to a county with a population of 2.8 million or more. Provides that a municipality is not authorized to require a county to notify a municipality or obtain a building permit for any new construction or renovation work performed within the limits of the municipality by that county's personnel or by county personnel acting as general contractor on county-owned buildings or facilities. Requires such construction or renovation work to be inspected by a registered professional engineer or architect licensed in this state in accordance with any other applicable law. Authorizes a municipality to require a building permit for construction or renovation work performed on county-owned buildings or facilities by private general contractors. Provides that this section does not exempt a county from complying with a municipality's building code standards when performing construction or renovation work. SECTION 2. Effective Date. SECTION 3. Emergency Clause.