By Chisum                                             H.B. No. 3546
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to environmental building codes based on energy
 1-3     conservation and the authority of a county to enact environmental
 1-4     building codes based on energy conservation.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 382, Health and Safety Code
 1-7     is amended by adding Section 382.114 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 382.114.  ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING CODES. (a)  A county
 1-9     may adopt environmental building codes as established by the
1-10     Department of Licensing and Regulation in Title 83, Chapter 16,
1-11     Article 5221g, Civil Statutes.
1-12           SECTION 2.  Title 83, Chapter 16 is amended by adding Article
1-13     5221g to read as follows:
1-14              Article 5221g.  ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING CODE ACT.
1-15           Sec. 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Environmental
1-16     Building Code Act.
1-17           Sec. 2. It is the intent of the legislature to provide
1-18     standards for the reduction of energy use in buildings to provide
1-19     for a cleaner environment, to reduce costs to builders and owners,
1-20     and to reduce operating costs by saving energy use in operating
1-21     buildings.
1-22           Sec. 3. In this Article, "Department" means the Department of
1-23     licensing and Regulation.
 2-1           Sec. 4. (a)  The department shall appoint an Environmental
 2-2     Building Code Advisory Committee comprised of:
 2-3                 (1)  one registered professional engineer;
 2-4                 (2)  one licensed professional architect;
 2-5                 (3)  one individual representing building owners or
 2-6     building managers;
 2-7                 (4)  one individual representing consumers;
 2-8                 (5)  one designee representing the Department of
 2-9     Housing and Community Affairs;
2-10                 (6)  one individual active in environmental issues;
2-11                 (7)  one individual representing building academia;
2-12                 (8)  one individual representing business;
2-13                 (9)  one individual representing organizations
2-14     interested in commerce;
2-15                 (10)  one individual representing code enforcement
2-16     officers;
2-17                 (11)  one individual representing electric utilities;
2-18                 (12)  one individual representing natural gas
2-19     utilities;
2-20                 (13)  one individual representing window manufacturers;
2-21                 (14)  one individual representing the Natural Resource
2-22     Conservation Commission;
2-23                 (15)  one individual representing the Public Utility
2-24     Commission;
2-25                 (16)  one individual representing insulation
2-26     manufacturers;
 3-1                 (17)  one individual representing home builders; and
 3-2                 (18)  one individual representing the Finance
 3-3     Commission.
 3-4           (b)  The Environmental Building Code Advisory Committee shall
 3-5     review any building codes from local governments, other states, the
 3-6     federal government, or any international organization which are
 3-7     based in energy efficient building construction and make
 3-8     recommendations to the department for establishing a Texas
 3-9     Environmental Building Code.
3-10           (c)  The department shall adopt a Texas Environmental
3-11     Building Code based on recommendations from the Environmental
3-12     Building Code Advisory Committee.
3-13           (d)  A county may adopt environmental building codes as
3-14     established by this Act.
3-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.