1-1     By:  Reyna of Bexar (Senate Sponsor - Sibley)          H.B. No. 196
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2001;
 1-3     April 27, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Business and Commerce; May 10, 2001, reported adversely, with
 1-5     favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays
 1-6     0; May 10, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 196                   By:  Sibley
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the adoption of standards for the practice of air
1-11     conditioning and refrigeration contracting.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Section 2(10), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
1-14     Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-15     Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-16                 (10)  "Mechanical integrity" means physical
1-17     installation of products, systems, or equipment in accordance with
1-18     their intended purpose and according to:
1-19                       (A)  standards at least as strict as the
1-20     standards set forth in the Uniform Mechanical Code and the
1-21     International Mechanical Code [published jointly by the
1-22     International Conference of Building Officials and the
1-23     International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, or
1-24     their successor organizations, or the Standard Mechanical Code
1-25     published by the Southern Building Code Congress International,
1-26     Inc., or its successor organization];
1-27                       (B)  all other applicable codes; and
1-28                       (C)  the manufacturer's specifications.
1-29           SECTION 2.  Section 3(a), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
1-30     Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-31     Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-32           (a)  The commissioner shall adopt rules for the practice of
1-33     air conditioning and refrigeration contracting consistent with this
1-34     Act.  The standards prescribed by rule must be at least as strict
1-35     as the standards set forth in the Uniform Mechanical Code published
1-36     [jointly] by [the International Conference of Building Officials
1-37     and] the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical
1-38     Officials and the International Mechanical Code published by the
1-39     International Code Council [or the Standard Mechanical Code
1-40     published by the Southern Building Code Congress International,
1-41     Inc., as those codes exist at the time the rules are adopted]. The
1-42     commissioner shall enforce this Act and may adopt rules relating to
1-43     enforcement requirements.
1-44           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-45                                  * * * * *