BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3091

By: Miles

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties explain that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) helps ensure boiler safety in Texas through oversight of the safety inspections for the more than 52,000 boilers located across the state. While a portion of these boiler safety inspections are performed by boiler inspectors on TDLR staff, the remainder are performed by authorized private sector boiler inspectors who typically work for organizations affiliated with an insurance company that provides insurance for a boiler. The parties further explain that there have been instances when TDLR must ensure a boiler inspection is completed on a boiler after an insurance company drops the insurance coverage for the boiler. The parties contend that instead of hiring more staff boiler inspectors to complete these inspections TDLR should have the authority to use additional inspection agencies, not necessarily those affiliated with insurance companies, to provide boiler inspections. H.B. 3091 seeks to address this issue by amending the applicable law.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 3091 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt standards for an inspection agency to be authorized by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to provide boiler inspections.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.