By Berlanga                                     H.B. No. 1442

      75R5198 GJH-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the adoption of certain plumbing codes.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 5B, The Plumbing License Law (Article

 1-5     6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           Sec. 5B.  ADOPTION OF PLUMBING CODES.  (a)  To protect the

 1-8     health and safety of the citizens of this state, the Board shall

 1-9     adopt the  latest edition of  [the Southern Standard Plumbing

1-10     Code,] the Uniform  Plumbing Code, including its appendices and

1-11     installation standards[, and the National Standard Plumbing Code].

1-12           (b)  In adopting plumbing standards for the proper design,

1-13     installation, and maintenance of a plumbing system, a municipality

1-14     or an owner of a public water system shall [may] adopt without

1-15     substantial revisions the latest edition of the Uniform Plumbing

1-16     Code.  The Board may make the standards effective statewide or may

1-17     determine what constitutes a substantial revision [standards that

1-18     do not substantially vary with rules or laws of this state].

1-19           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-1     passage, and it is so enacted.