LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 5, 2011

TO:	Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1649 by Marquez (Relating to the enforcement of building code standards for new residential construction in the unincorporated area of a county; providing a fee.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Local Government Code to authorize a county to charge a fee not to exceed $25 for each new residential construction project to defray costs of administering building code requirements. The bill also would require a commissioners court to certify that a new residential construction project meets all applicable building code requirements prior to permanent electric, gas, water, or sewer service utility connection in the project.

The bill would repeal Section 233.153(f) of the Local Government Code.

Local Government Impact

According to the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), due to the reduced fee, fewer counties would choose to implement the optional ordinances under Subchapter F, Chapter 233 of the Local Government Code since the county would be less likely to cover the costs. However, a county would not implement the subchapter unless the county thought the fee would cover the costs associated with the provisions; therefore, the costs to counties are not anticipated to be significant.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JOB, KKR, TP