75R13903 PB-D
By Seaman, Berlanga, Luna, Stiles, Eiland H.B. No. 3578
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3578:
By Bosse C.S.H.B. No. 3578
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to building codes affecting certain coastal counties.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. APPLICATION. This Act applies only to a first
1-5 tier coastal county, as defined by Section 3, Article 21.49,
1-6 Insurance Code.
1-7 SECTION 2. EXEMPTION. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the
1-8 contrary, a building code adopted on or after January 1, 1997, does
1-9 not apply to a county subject to this Act.
1-10 (b) For purposes of this Act, "building code" means any new
1-11 building standard, specification, interpretation, or guideline
1-12 adopted or issued by the commissioner of insurance or the Texas
1-13 Department of Insurance on or after January 1, 1997, that must be
1-14 met before any new residential construction qualifies for a
1-15 certificate of compliance that is evidence of insurability of the
1-16 structure by the Texas Catastrophe Property Insurance Association.
1-17 SECTION 3. INTERIM SELECT COMMITTEE. (a) The interim
1-18 select committee on coastal building codes is established to:
1-19 (1) analyze the additional expenses that consumers may
1-20 incur because of the implementation of any new building code and to
1-21 contrast those expenses to any reduction of risk resulting to
1-22 insurers in the voluntary market or the Texas Catastrophe Property
1-23 Insurance Association and any potential for reduced insurance
1-24 premiums resulting from the implementation of the building code;
2-1 (2) study the relationship between municipal building
2-2 codes and building codes adopted by the Texas Department of
2-3 Insurance or the commissioner of insurance;
2-4 (3) provide options and recommendations for existing
2-5 building codes adopted by the Texas Department of Insurance or the
2-6 commissioner of insurance;
2-7 (4) recommend methods to assist and educate
2-8 individuals about changes to building codes adopted by the Texas
2-9 Department of Insurance or the commissioner of insurance; and
2-10 (5) conduct any appropriate studies related to
2-11 building codes in first tier coastal counties.
2-12 (b) Not later than the 30th day after the effective date of
2-13 this Act, the governor shall appoint the members of the select
2-14 committee. The committee shall be composed of 11 members as
2-15 follows:
2-16 (1) three representatives of the residential building
2-17 industry from first tier coastal counties;
2-18 (2) one registered professional engineer who regularly
2-19 designs homes in first tier coastal counties;
2-20 (3) one representative of the commissioner of
2-21 insurance;
2-22 (4) one representative of a national code
2-23 organization;
2-24 (5) one representative of consumers who resides in a
2-25 first tier coastal county;
2-26 (6) one representative of the Texas Catastrophe
2-27 Property Insurance Association;
3-1 (7) one representative of the lumber and building
3-2 supply industry who resides in a first tier coastal county;
3-3 (8) one city manager or assistant city manager from a
3-4 municipality located in a first tier coastal county; and
3-5 (9) one municipal building code official from a
3-6 municipality located in a first tier coastal county.
3-7 (c) The members of the select committee shall elect a member
3-8 to serve as presiding officer of the committee. The select
3-9 committee shall meet at the call of the presiding officer at least
3-10 monthly.
3-11 (d) A member of the select committee is not entitled to
3-12 compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
3-13 (e) Not later than December 31, 1997, the select committee
3-14 shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker
3-15 of the house of representatives, the commissioner of insurance, and
3-16 the windstorm advisory committee of the Texas Department of
3-17 Insurance a report that contains the select committee's
3-18 conclusions and recommendations regarding any building code to be
3-19 adopted by the commissioner of insurance for use in the first tier
3-20 coastal counties.
3-21 (f) This section expires, and the interim select committee
3-22 is abolished, January 1, 1998.
3-23 SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires May 31, 1998.
3-24 SECTION 5. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
3-25 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-3 passage, and it is so enacted.