C.S.H.B. 3235 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 3235 By: Smith, Todd Government Reform Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE During the 77th Legislative Session, SB 5 was passed requiring that all municipal building inspectors be certified in building energy performance standards. No training program was provided in order to enable municipal building inspectors to comply with this requirement. C.S.H.B. 3235 would direct Texas A&M University to develop and administer a statewide training program for municipal building inspectors seeking to become code-certified inspectors. 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 1. Chapter 388, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 388.009, CERTIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL BUILDING INSPECTORS, which requires that the Energy Systems Laboratory (laboratory) at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station of the Texas A&M University System develop and administer statewide a training program for municipal building inspectors seeking to become code-certified inspectors. The laboratory is also required to assist participants in the certification program. The laboratory is allowed to collect reasonable fees from participants in the program in order to pay the costs associated with administering the program. SECTION 2. Requires that the laboratory develop the training program required by Section 388.009, Health and Safety Code, not later than January 1, 2004, and requires the laboratory to begin implementing the training program statewide not later than March 1, 2004. SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 11(d), Chapter 967, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, a municipality is not required to comply with Section 388.003(c)(2), Health and Safety Code, before March 1, 2005. EFFECTIVE DATE Effective date to develop the training program is January 1, 2004. Effective date to begin implementation statewide is March 1, 2004. Effective date for a municipality to comply with Section 388.003(c)(2), Health and Safety Code, is March 1, 2005. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute modifies the original bill by changing "appropriate department" to the Energy Systems Laboratory at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station at The Texas A&M University System. Also adds provisions for the laboratory to work with national code organizations to assist participants in the certification program. It also allows the laboratory to collect reasonable fees to pay the costs of administering the program. The bill corrects SECTION 3 to reference Section 11(d) of Chapter 967, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001.