BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 888
	By: Perry
	Local Government
	5/26/2023
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, courthouses are required to comply with both fire escape statutes and Historical Commission statutes. However, this often creates problems because fire escapes were not part of the historical design of most courthouses, and adding a modern fire escape to a historical courthouse can be very expensive. Unfortunately, small rural counties do not have the money for these unbudgeted major renovations.

The proposed legislation allows county courthouses in counties smaller than 100,000 people to be exempt from being required to have a fire escape.  

(Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 888 amends current law relating to fire escape exemptions for certain courthouses.

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 791.004, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsection (c), as follows:

(c) Provides that Chapter 791 (Fire Escapes) does not apply to a county courthouse that:

(1) was constructed before September 1, 1989; and

(2) is located in a county with a population of less than 50,000.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.