GEC S.B. 1529 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS BUSINESS & INDUSTRY S.B. 1529 By: Brown (Janek) 4-23-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, the law prohibits political subdivisions from authorizing the construction or occupancy of a new apartment house or conversion to a condominium unless the construction plan provides for individual metering by the utility company or submetering by the owner oF each dwelling unit for the measurement of the quantity of electricity, if any, consumed by the occupants within that dwelling unit. This bill provides new regulations regarding utility services for certain dwellings. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1529 provides new regulations regarding utility services for certain dwellings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Article 1446d, V.T.C.S., by adding Subdivision (3), to define "housing for older persons." SECTION 2. Amends Section 2, Article 1446d, V.T.C.S., by amending Subsection (b), and adding Subsection (d), to prohibit the provisions of Subsection (a) of this section from applying to the issuance of a permit for the construction of housing for older persons with 100 or more dwelling units. Requires an incorporated city or town, before issuing a permit, certificate, or other authorization for the construction of housing for older persons, to require that the construction plan provides for the requirements for housing for older persons as defined in SECTION 1 of this Act. SECTION 3. Amends Article 1446d, V.T.C.S., by adding Section 3 and renumbering the subsequent section, as follows: Sec. 3. Prohibits an apartment house owner or mobile home park owner who provides housing for older persons pursuant to this Act from being considered a wholesale utility customer. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.