1-1     By:  Lucio                                             S.B. No. 623
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 19, 1999; February 23, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
 1-4     April 22, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 22, 1999,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 623                 By:  Whitmire
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to certain requirements applicable to the construction of
1-11     affordable housing.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter X, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
1-14     amended by adding Section 2306.514 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 2306.514.  CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE
1-16     HOUSING.  (a)  If a person is awarded state or federal funds by the
1-17     department to construct affordable housing for individuals and
1-18     families of low and very low income, the affordable housing
1-19     identified on the person's funding application must be constructed
1-20     so that:
1-21                 (1)  at least one entrance door, whether located at the
1-22     front, side, or back of the building:
1-23                       (A)  is on an accessible route served by a ramp
1-24     or no-step entrance; and
1-25                       (B)  has a net clear opening of at least 30
1-26     inches;
1-27                 (2)  on the first floor of the building:
1-28                       (A)  each interior door is a standard 30-inch
1-29     door, unless the door provides access only to a closet of less than
1-30     15 square feet in area;
1-31                       (B)  each hallway has a width of at least 36
1-32     inches and is level, with ramped or beveled changes at each door
1-33     threshold;
1-34                       (C)  each bathroom wall is reinforced for
1-35     potential installation of grab bars;
1-36                       (D)  each electrical panel or breaker box, light
1-37     switch, or thermostat is not higher than 48 inches above the floor;
1-38     and
1-39                       (E)  each electrical plug or other receptacle is
1-40     at least 15 inches above the floor; and
1-41                 (3)  each breaker box is located inside the building on
1-42     the first floor.
1-43           (b)  A person who builds affordable housing to which this
1-44     section applies may obtain a waiver from the department of the
1-45     requirement described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) if the cost of
1-46     grading the terrain to meet the requirement is prohibitively
1-47     expensive.
1-48           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
1-49     to affordable housing for which new construction begins on or after
1-50     the effective date of this Act.  Affordable housing for which new
1-51     construction begins before the effective date of this Act is
1-52     covered by the law in effect when the construction began, and the
1-53     former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-54           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-55           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-56     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-57     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-58     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-59     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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