BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 871

By: Reynolds

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that modernizing building codes is crucial for enhancing safety and ensuring protection against extreme weather events, which lead to more resilient and cost-effective communities. However, the building codes currently adopted in state law are outdated versions released in 2012. C.S.H.B. 871 seeks to address this issue by updating the version of the International Residential Code and the International Building Code adopted in Texas.

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

C.S.H.B. 871 amends the Local Government Code to update from May 1, 2012, the versions of the International Residential Code and the International Building Code adopted in Texas as a municipal residential building code and municipal commercial building code, respectively, to the versions of those codes as they existed on May 1, 2018.

C.S.H.B. 871 applies only to residential or commercial construction, remodeling, alteration, enlargement, or repair that begins under an agreement made on or after January 1, 2026, or that begins, in the absence of an agreement, on or after that date. Residential or commercial construction, remodeling, alteration, enlargement, or repair that begins under an agreement made before January 1, 2026, or that begins, in the absence of an agreement, before that date is governed by the law in effect when the agreement was made or the activity began, as appropriate, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

C.S.H.B. 871 requires municipalities to establish rules and take other necessary actions to implement the bill's provisions not later than December 1, 2025.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 871 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute replaces the version of the International Residential Code and of the International Building Code as they existed on May 1, 2021, as in the introduced, with versions of those codes as they existed on May 1, 2018, as the updated versions adopted in Texas as a municipal residential building code and municipal commercial building code, respectively.