By:  Lucio                                             S.B. No. 623
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to certain requirements applicable to the construction of
 1-2     affordable housing.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter X, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 2306.514 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 2306.514.  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE
 1-7     HOUSING.  (a)  If a person is awarded state or federal funds by the
 1-8     department to construct affordable housing for individuals and
 1-9     families of low and very low income, the affordable housing
1-10     identified on the person's funding application must be constructed
1-11     so that:
1-12                 (1)  at least one entrance door, whether located at the
1-13     front, side, or back of the building:
1-14                       (A)  is on an accessible route served by a ramp
1-15     or no-step entrance; and
1-16                       (B)  has a net clear opening of at least 30
1-17     inches;
1-18                 (2)  on the first floor of the building:
1-19                       (A)  each interior door is a standard 30-inch
1-20     door, unless the door provides access only to a closet of less than
1-21     15 square feet in area;
1-22                       (B)  each hallway has a width of at least 36
1-23     inches and is level, with ramped or beveled changes at each door
1-24     threshold;
 2-1                       (C)  each bathroom wall is reinforced for
 2-2     potential installation of grab bars;
 2-3                       (D)  each electrical panel or breaker box, light
 2-4     switch, or thermostat is not higher than 48 inches above the floor;
 2-5     and
 2-6                       (E)  each electrical plug or other receptacle is
 2-7     at least 15 inches above the floor; and
 2-8                 (3)  each breaker box is located inside the building on
 2-9     the first floor.
2-10           (b)  A person who builds affordable housing to which this
2-11     section applies may obtain a waiver from the department of the
2-12     requirement described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) if the cost of
2-13     grading the terrain to meet the requirement is prohibitively
2-14     expensive.
2-15           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
2-16     to affordable housing for which new construction begins on or after
2-17     the effective date of this Act.  Affordable housing for which new
2-18     construction begins before the effective date of this Act is
2-19     covered by the law in effect when the construction began, and the
2-20     former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-21           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-22           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
 3-1                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
 3-2           Amend S.B. No. 623 (senate engrossment) in SECTION 1 of the
 3-3     bill as follows:
 3-4           (1)  In proposed Section 2306.514(a)(1)(B), Government Code
 3-5     (page 1, line 16), strike "30" and substitute "34".
 3-6           (2)  In proposed Section 2306.514(a)(2)(A), Government Code
 3-7     (page 1, line 19), strike "a standard 30-inch" and substitute "at
 3-8     least a 32-inch".
 3-9                                                                  Burnam