H.B. 1886 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 1886
By: Zedler
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
     


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
In 1991, , the 72nd Texas Legislature created the registration of code
enforcement officers.  The program became operational on September 1,
1991. The law specifies that fees shall not exceed $50 for each fee. The
law, Chapter 1952, Occupations Code, provides title protection for a "Code
Enforcement Officer." Currently, there are 1600 registered code
enforcement officers in Texas. Rider 7, Article 2, General Appropriations
Act, 77th Legislature, expresses the intent of the legislature that
fee-funded programs to generate sufficient revenue to cover their
operating costs. For the past five years, the code enforcement officers
registration program generated sufficient revenues to cover its operating
costs in only two of those years.  The purpose of this bill is to remove
the statutory cap on the fees charged to regulate code enforcement
officers. 
 
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS
Section 1952.052 is amended by deleting the "not to exceed $50 for each
fee" and replacing this section with language allowing the Texas Board of
Health to set reasonable fees to cover the costs of administering the
program. 

EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2003.