Amend HB 1997 by striking all below the enacting clause and
substituting the following:
      SECTION 1.  Section 2(10), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
            (10)  "Mechanical integrity" means physical
installation of products, systems, or equipment in accordance with
their intended purpose and according to:
                  (A)  standards at least as strict as the
standards set forth in the Uniform Mechanical Code, the
International Mechanical Code <published jointly by the
International Conference of Building Officials and the
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, or
their successor organizations>, or the Standard Mechanical Code
<published by the Southern Building Code Congress International,
Inc., or its successor organization>;
                  (B)  all other applicable codes; and
                  (C)  the manufacturer's specifications.
      SECTION 2.  Section 3(a), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
      (a)  The commissioner shall adopt rules for the practice of
air conditioning and refrigeration contracting consistent with this
Act.  The standards prescribed by rule must be at least as strict
as the standards set forth in the Uniform Mechanical Code published
<jointly> by the International Conference of Building Officials or
<and> the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical
Officials, <or> the Standard Mechanical Code published by the
Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., or the
International Mechanical Code published by the International Code
Council  <as those codes exist at the time the rules are adopted>.
The commissioner shall enforce this Act and may adopt rules
relating to enforcement requirements.
      SECTION 3.  Section 6, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
      (h)  This Act does not apply to a person who installs,
repairs, or removes a vent hood of the type commonly used in
residential and commercial kitchens if the person substantially
complies with the rules for the practice of air conditioning and
refrigeration contracting under this Act and plumbing standards
adopted by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners under The
Plumbing License Law (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes), as those rules and standards apply to the installation,
repair, and removal of vent hoods.
      SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by this section, this Act
takes effect September 1, 1999.
      (b)  Section 6(h), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes), as added by this Act, takes effect immediately and
applies only to the installation, repair, or removal of a vent hood
that occurs on or after the  effective date of this subsection.
Installations, repairs, and removals of vent hoods that occur
before that date are governed by the law in effect on the day the
installation, repair, or removal occurred, and that law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
      SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
terms, and it is so enacted.