SRC-CTC C.S.S.B. 327 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 327 2001S0265/1By: Jackson Business & Commerce 2/6/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) 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. C.S.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. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Differs from the original by adding SECTION 4 to provide an effective date for this Act.