By Reyna of Bexar                                     H.B. No. 2144
         76R6773 MXM-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the adoption and use 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 following plumbing codes:
1-10                 (1)  the [Southern] Standard Plumbing Code;
1-11                 (2)  [,] the Uniform Plumbing Code;
1-12                 (3)  the International Plumbing Code; [,] and
1-13                 (4)  the National Standard Plumbing Code.
1-14           (b)  Plumbing installed in an area not otherwise subject to
1-15     regulation under this Act must be installed in accordance with a
1-16     plumbing code adopted by the Board under Subsection (a) of this
1-17     section.
1-18           (c)  In adopting plumbing codes and standards for the proper
1-19     design, installation, and maintenance of a plumbing system, a
1-20     municipality or an owner of a public water system may only adopt
1-21     codes and standards that do not substantially vary with rules or
1-22     laws of this state.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
1-24     applies to the design, installation, or maintenance of a plumbing
 2-1     system performed on or after that date.  The design, installation,
 2-2     or maintenance of a plumbing system performed before that date is
 2-3     governed by the law in effect on the date that the design,
 2-4     installation, or maintenance occurred, and the former law is
 2-5     continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.