BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1715

81R10421 PMO-D                                                                                                              By: West

Business & Commerce

4/5/2009

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, Chapter 92 (Residential Tenancies) of the Property Code requires landlords to install smoke detectors, but only those which would alert a hearing person.

As proposed, S.B. 1715 requires landlords to install smoke detectors that are capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms the detectors serve.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 92.254(a), Property Code, to require that a smoke detector be designed with an alarm that is audible to a person with a normal range of hearing and is capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves.

SECTION 2.  Provides that Section 92.254(a), Property Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a smoke detector installed under Subchapter F (Smoke Detectors), Chapter 92, Property Code, on or after September 1, 2009.

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2009.