S.B. 416 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 416
By: Harris 
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 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. 
As proposed, 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

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. 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) in addition to the authorized emergency
extension. Includes a prohibition against the commissioner of licensing
and regulation and the inspection agency granting more than one emergency
extension in an interval between internal inspections. Makes
nonsubstantive changes. 
       

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.