BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1922

By: Dutton

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Building permit fees charged by municipalities create havoc and often impede the renovation of structures within the boundaries of a given municipality. Texans can be charged a wide range of permit fees for the construction, renovation, or remodeling of a structure, none of which bear any relationship to costs of the process. While well intended, these permit fees often discourage necessary development within a municipality and actually promote growth and development outside the municipality. Furthermore, these fees also impose an undue burden on organizations that are not seeking revenue. H.B. 1922 seeks to address this issue by providing for the abolishment of a municipal building permit fee on the 10th anniversary after the date the fee is adopted or most recently reauthorized and requiring citizen input before reauthorization of the fee by the municipality.

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. 1922 amends the Local Government Code to set a building permit fee charged by a municipality as a condition to constructing, renovating, or remodeling a structure to be abolished on the 10th anniversary after the date the fee is adopted or most recently reauthorized unless the governing body of the municipality that adopted or reauthorized the fee holds a public hearing and reauthorizes the fee by vote of the governing body.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2024.