BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2206

By: Price

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The commissioners court of a county with a population of over 250,000 or a county adjacent to such a county currently is authorized to adopt a fire code and rules necessary to administer and enforce such code. Interested parties contend that such authority should be granted to the commissioners court of any county in order to ensure that schools, daycares, hospitals, and businesses in unincorporated areas meet fire safety standards and are accessible to first responders in emergency situations.  H.B. 2206 seeks to address this issue.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2206 amends the Local Government Code to remove language that limits the authority of a commissioners court of a county to adopt a fire code and rules necessary to administer and enforce the fire code to the commissioners court of a county with a population of over 250,000 or a county adjacent to such a county.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.