By:  Smith of Harris                                              H.B. No. 2050

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2050:                                   

By:  Mowery                                                   C.S.H.B. No. 2050



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the time for processing a county building permit.                 
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 233, Local Government Code, is amended 
by adding Subchapter Z to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER Z.  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
	Sec. 233.901.  TIME FOR ISSUANCE OF COUNTY BUILDING PERMIT.  
(a)  This section applies only to a permit issued by a county 
relating to the construction or improvement of a building or other 
structure in the county, including a permit for an on-site sewage 
disposal system.
	(b)  Not later than the 45th day after the date an 
application for a permit is submitted, the county must:
		(1)  grant or deny the permit;                                         
		(2)  provide written notice to the applicant stating 
the reasons why the county has been unable to act on the permit 
application; or
		(3)  attempt to reach a written agreement with the 
applicant to a time certain for granting or denying the permit.
	(c)  For a permit application for which notice is provided 
under Subsection (b)(2) or an agreement is reached under Subsection 
(b)(3), the county must grant or deny the permit not later than the 
30th day after the date the notice is received or the agreement is 
signed.
	(d)  If a county fails to act on a permit application in the 
time required by Subsection (c), all permit fees shall be waived by 
the county in regards to that application.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to an application for a permit submitted on or after 
that date.  An application for a permit submitted before that date 
is governed by the law in effect when the application was submitted, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.