SRC-AMY S.B. 416 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 416
By: Harris
Business & Commerce
8/18/2003
Enrolled

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law requires power and unfired steam boilers and steam
collection or liberation drums of process steam generators to receive
internal inspections, for which a complete shutdown of the unit is usually
required.  Additionally, current Texas law does not require organizations
that repair or alter boilers to be represented on the board of boiler
rules.  Complete shutdowns of the above-mentioned boilers can negatively
impact business and the environment. S.B. 416 increases the interval
between internal inspections for power boilers and process steam
generators and allows for emergency extensions.  S.B. 416 also includes an
individual representing organizations that repair or alter boilers on the
board of boiler rules, replacing the required mechanical engineer or
engineering professor.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 755.011(b), Health and Safety Code, to
redesignate one member of the nine member-board of boiler rules as an
individual representing organizations that repair or alter boilers rather
than a mechanical engineer or a faculty member of a recognized college of
engineering. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 755.026(a) and (c), Health and Safety Code, as
follows: 

(a) Authorizes an extended interval between inspections of power boilers
not to exceed 60 months, rather than 48 months. Authorizes inspection
intervals  for unfired steam boilers, rather than other unfired steam
boilers, or steam collection or liberation drums of process steam
generators to be extended to the next scheduled downtime. Prohibits the
extension from exceeding 84 months for unfired steam boilers, and 120
months for steam collection or liberation drums of process steam
generators. Makes nonsubstantive changes. 

(c) Includes the authorized extensions under Subsection (a)to the
emergency extensions. Authorizes the commissioner of licensing and
regulation (commissioner) to grant emergency extensions.  Prohibits the
commissioner and the inspection agency from granting more than one
emergency extension in an interval between internal inspections. Makes
nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.