BILL ANALYSIS
By: Leibowitz
Defense Affairs & State-Federal Relations
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Realtors and builders market homes to veterans and encourage the use of Texas Veterans Land Board financing. However, some volume builders will not build homes for disabled veterans. To make the purchasing of a home easier for veterans with special needs, this bill amends the Natural Resources Code to require the Veterans Land Board and the Texas Residential Construction Commission to make available to the public a list of builders that provide accessible floor plans to persons with mobility-related special needs. The bill also requires the Texas Residential Construction Commission to contact volume builders that do not provide accessible floor plans and encourage them to develop plans accessible for persons with mobility-related special needs.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
This bill defines "volume builder" as one that builds at least 100 homes a year. This bill requires the Veterans Land Board and the Texas Residential Construction Commission to make available a list of builders that provide accessible floor plans to persons with mobility-related special needs. The bill also details the type of information that must be in electronic form for each listed builder.
The bill also requires the Texas Residential Construction Commission to contact volume builders that do not provide accessible floor plans and encourage them to develop plans accessible for persons with mobility-related special needs.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF SUBSTITUTE TO ORIGINAL
The substitute modifies the original version of the bill by striking SECTIONS 1, 2 and 3 of the original bill and amending it with a new SECTION 1 as detailed above requiring the agencies to maintain a list of certain builders.