BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 337

86R6738 MP-D

By: West

 

Intergovernmental Relations

 

3/7/2019

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Section 245.007, Local Government Code, allows for counties with a population of 3.3 million or more to be exempt from city building permit requirements for any new construction or any renovation of a building or facility owned by the county if the construction or renovation work is supervised and inspected by an engineer or architect licensed in Texas. Further, the county must comply with the building standards of the political subdivision during the construction or renovation of the building or facility.

 

This provision allows qualified counties to build and renovate buildings just as they normally would, and following the same safety procedures and building standards set by the municipality, but not pay the municipality for a building permit, as that is effectively just a tax swap.

 

Dallas County has the expertise on staff to ensure that any new construction or renovation done by the county is supervised and inspected by a licensed engineer and ensure that the work being done does comply with the building standards set forth by the municipality in which the work is being performed.

 

S.B. 337 lowers the population requirement for Local Government Code Section 245.007 to 2.3 million or more.

 

As proposed, S.B. 337 amends current law relating to the authority of a political subdivision to regulate construction and renovation of structures owned by certain counties.

 

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 245.007(a), Local Government Code, to decrease from 3.3 million to 2.3 million the minimum population threshold of a county that is subject to the provisions regarding construction and renovation work on county-owned buildings and facilities under this section.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.

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