HBA-KDB H.B. 3546 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3546 By: Chisum Land & Resource Management 4/6/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is a guide that establishes minimum regulations for energy-efficient buildings using prescriptive and performance-related provisions. The IECC was developed to conserve energy, to minimize increased construction costs, and not restrict the use of or give preferential treatment to particular type of materials, products, or methods of construction. Adoption of the IECC by the state would provide standards for the reduction of energy use in buildings which could provide for a cleaner environment, reduce costs to builders and owners, and reduce operating costs by saving energy used in operating buildings. House Bill 3546 establishes the environmental building code advisory committee (committee) to review any building codes from local governments, other states, the federal government or any international organization and requires the Department of Licensing and Regulation to adopt a Texas Environmental Building Code based on the committee's recommendations. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3546 amends law to establish the Texas Environmental Building Code Act. The bill requires the Department of Licensing and Regulation (department) to appoint an environmental building code advisory committee (committee) and sets forth its composition requirements. The bill requires the committee to review any building codes from local governments, other states, the federal government, or any international organization which is based in energy efficient building construction and to make recommendations to the department for establishing a Texas environmental building code. The bill requires the department to adopt such a code based on the committee's recommendations . The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize a county to adopt environmental building codes as established by the department. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.