AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
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. A portion of these boiler safety inspections are performed by boiler inspectors on TDLR’s staff. The remainder are performed by private sector boiler inspectors commissioned by TDLR, who typically work for organizations or agencies affiliated with insurance companies that provide insurance for a boiler that the commissioned inspector inspects. Sometimes, however, TDLR must ensure a boiler inspection is completed on a boiler when an insurance company drops the insurance coverage for the boiler. Instead of hiring more staff to complete these inspections, TDLR is seeking to add more inspection agencies, not necessarily affiliated with insurance companies, to allow TDLR to use an inspector who works for a boiler inspection agency as an authorized boiler inspector, and can be utilized as a third-party by the agency to complete these inspections.
S.B. 1442 authorizes TDLR to adopt standards for boiler inspection agencies to operate as a form of Texas boiler inspector.
As proposed, S.B. 1442 amends current law relating to the standards for boiler inspection agencies.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 755.032(a), 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 inspections under this chapter.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.