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.