HB 2732 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 2732
By: Talton
Urban Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, if a property owner is either jointly or severally
aggrieved by an order of a local building and standards commission panel
("the panel"), the owner may present a petition to a district court
setting forth grounds for vacation.  A copy of the panel's order is kept
by the building and standards commission by statute.  In addition, current
law requires that an additional copy of the panel's order be filed and
kept by the municipal clerk or secretary.  In the City of Houston, the
city secretary has received a request for a copy of the panel's order on
two occasions in eight years. House Bill 2732 will eliminate the
requirement that the panel's order be filed and kept by the municipal
secretary or clerk in municipalities of 1.9 million or more.  In addition,
H.B. 2732 will also exempt cities of more than 1.9 million from the
requirement that a municipal enforcement order regarding substandard
buildings be filed with the municipal secretary or clerk.  Currently, the
City of Houston is the only Texas municipality within these brackets. 

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. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION  1.  Amends Section 54.039(a), Local Government Code, to exempt
from the requirement that an order of a local building and standards
commission be filed with the office of the municipal secretary or clerk,
municipalities with a population of 1.9 million or more. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 214.001(f),  Local Government Code, to exempt
cities of more than 1.9 million from the requirement that a municipal
enforcement order regarding substandard buildings be filed with the
municipal secretary or clerk. 

SECTION 3.  Effective Date.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  September 1, 2003.