SRC-CTC S.B. 327 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 327
By: Jackson
Business & Commerce
1/26/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a fire extinguisher without a label of approval cannot be
leased, sold, rented, serviced, or installed.  Once used, a portable fire
extinguisher will often have the label of approval missing or defaced.  A
missing label often results in the fire extinguisher being discarded.  S.B.
327 authorizes a person to service certain portable fire extinguishers. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of insurance
in SECTION 1 (Section 5, Article 5.43-1, Insurance Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 5, Article 5.43-1, Insurance Code, to provide an
exception to the prohibition of the sale, lease, rental, servicing, or
installation of a fire extinguisher unit, system or equipment without a
label of approval or listing of a testing laboratory approved by the Texas
Department of Insurance, rather than the State Board of Insurance.
Requires the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) to permit a person,
by rule, to service a portable fire extinguisher regardless of whether it
carries a certain label. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 10, Article 5.43-1, Insurance Code, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 3.  Requires the commissioner of insurance to adopt rules under
Section 5(e), Article 5.431, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, not
later than January 1, 2002.