By:  Smith of Harris                                              H.B. No. 265


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the time for processing a municipal building permit. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 214, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 214.904 to read as follows: Sec. 214.904. TIME FOR ISSUANCE OF MUNICIPAL BUILDING PERMIT. (a) This section applies only to a permit required by a municipality to erect or improve a building or other structure in the municipality or its extraterritorial jurisdiction. (b) Not later than the 45th day after the date an application for a permit is submitted, the municipality must: (1) grant or deny the permit; (2) provide written notice to the applicant stating the reasons why the municipality has been unable to grant or deny the permit application; or (3) reach a written agreement with the applicant providing for a deadline for granting or denying the permit. (c) For a permit application for which notice is provided under Subsection (b)(2), the municipality must grant or deny the permit not later than the 30th day after the date the notice is received. (d) If a municipality fails to grant or deny a permit application in the time required by Subsection (c) or by an agreement under Subsection (b)(3), the municipality: (1) may not collect any permit fees associated with the application; and (2) shall refund to the applicant any permit fees associated with the application that have been collected. SECTION 2. The subchapter heading to Subchapter Z, Chapter 214, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER Z. MISCELLANEOUS POWERS AND DUTIES
SECTION 3. Section 214.904, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an application for a permit submitted on or after September 1, 2005. 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. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.