SRC-PNG C.S.S.B. 1412 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1412 76R11221 MXM-FBy: Zaffirini Border Affairs - Special 4/7/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, under Texas law, property owners are exempt from the requirement that all plumbing work must be performed by a licensed plumber. However, many colonia residents do not qualify for the exemption because they purchased land via a contract for deed, which does not provide them with title to the land. This presents a significant obstacle to using resident labor to install water and wastewater systems through "self-help" projects, certified by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. This bill exempts certified projects in colonias from the licensed plumber requirement. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1412 exempts certified projects in colonias from the licensed plumber requirement. 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 3, Article 6243-101, V.T.C.S. (The Plumbing License Law), by adding Subsection (f), as follows: (f) Permits plumbing work, limited to the provision of a residential potable water supply or residential sanitary sewer connections, for a project in a geographic area that is located in a county any part of which is within 50 miles of an international border completed by an organization that is certified by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to provide "self-help" project assistance; and provides the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (board) certain information regarding the project before the project begins, to be done without license. SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Relating clause. Amends the relating clause to provide that the bill allows for the provision of plumbing services without a plumbing license in certain economically distressed areas, including colonias. SECTION 1. Amends Section 3, Article 6243-101, V.T.C.S., by adding Subsection (f), to permit plumbing work, limited to the provision of a residential potable water supply or residential sanitary sewer connections, for a project in a geographic area that is located in a county any part of which is within 50 miles of an international border completed by an organization that is certified by TNRCC to provide "self-help" project assistance; and provides the board certain information regarding the project before the project begins, to be done without license. Deletes proposed Subsection (c), concerning plumbing work through the Small Town Environment Program.