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|  | AN ACT | 
|  | relating to rules and policies adopted by state agencies regarding | 
|  | engineering or architectural errors or omissions. | 
|  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
|  | SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 2252, Government Code, is | 
|  | amended by adding Section 2252.904 to read as follows: | 
|  | Sec. 2252.904.  CERTAIN RULES OR POLICIES OF STATE AGENCIES. | 
|  | (a)  In this section: | 
|  | (1)  "Contract" means a contract awarded by a state | 
|  | agency for general construction, an improvement, a service, or a | 
|  | public works project, including a contract subject to Section | 
|  | 201.112, Transportation Code. | 
|  | (2)  "Private design professional" means an individual | 
|  | registered as an architect under Chapter 1051, Occupations Code, or | 
|  | an individual licensed as an engineer under Chapter 1001, | 
|  | Occupations Code, who provides professional architectural or | 
|  | engineering services. | 
|  | (3)  "State agency" means a board, commission, office, | 
|  | department, or other agency in the judicial or executive branch of | 
|  | state government. | 
|  | (b)  A rule or policy adopted by a state agency relating to | 
|  | the recovery of costs arising from an engineering or architectural | 
|  | error or omission by a private design professional on a project | 
|  | must: | 
|  | (1)  provide that the private design professional be | 
|  | notified at the time a problem with project plans or specifications | 
|  | is identified by the agency; | 
|  | (2)  provide an opportunity for the private design | 
|  | professional to be involved in the resolution of a problem | 
|  | identified under Subdivision (1); | 
|  | (3)  provide guidelines for distinguishing an error or | 
|  | omission from other reasons for the submission of a change order; | 
|  | (4)  provide a process for determining the cost of | 
|  | errors or omissions by private design professionals; | 
|  | (5)  provide for an evaluation of the totality of | 
|  | project services provided by private design professionals, | 
|  | including the level of quality, performance, and value provided | 
|  | over the term of the entire project; | 
|  | (6)  provide that an internal management review of the | 
|  | agency's claim for costs may be used, if available, without | 
|  | requiring that the claim be paid before the internal management | 
|  | review may be used; | 
|  | (7)  provide a process for tracking the cost of errors | 
|  | or omissions by agency employees; and | 
|  | (8)  recognize that some errors, omissions, or changes | 
|  | are likely to occur during a design and construction project. | 
|  | SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. | 
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|  | ______________________________ | ______________________________ | 
|  | President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | 
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|  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 924 passed the Senate on April | 
|  | 12, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the | 
|  | Senate adopted S.C.R. No. 85, recalling S.B. No. 924 from the | 
|  | Governor for reconsideration on May 22, 2007; and that the Senate | 
|  | concurred in House amendment to S.B. No. 924 on May 25, 2007, by the | 
|  | following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0. | 
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|  | ______________________________ | 
|  | Secretary of the Senate | 
|  | 
|  | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 924 passed the House, with | 
|  | amendment, on May 16, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, | 
|  | Nays 0, two present not voting; and that the House adopted | 
|  | S.C.R. No. 85, recalling S.B. No. 924 from the Governor on May 22, | 
|  | 2007. | 
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|  | ______________________________ | 
|  | Chief Clerk of the House | 
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|  | Approved: | 
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|  | ______________________________ | 
|  | Date | 
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|  | ______________________________ | 
|  | Governor |