BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3527

By: McQueeney

Intergovernmental Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, through its Manufactured Housing Division, administers parts of a federal manufactured housing program, which involves various aspects of the manufactured housing industry, including enforcement, inspections, installations, building codes, and dispute resolutions. However, the bill author has informed the committee that the definitions of "manufactured home" in current state law and current federal law do not directly match and that they must do so to ensure consistency and accuracy and to allow for the state to respond immediately if changes to federal law allows for the participation of new innovations and home types. H.B. 3527 seeks to address this issue by referring directly to the federal law that defines a manufactured home and clarifies record requirements applicable to certain license holders.

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. 3527 amends the Occupations Code to replace the definition of "HUD-code manufactured home" with a reference to the definition of "manufactured home" under federal law. The bill, with respect to statutory provisions establishing that all required records of a manufacturer, retailer, broker, or installer licensee are to be maintained at the licensee's principal office or such other location as the licensee may designate, removes the specification that such a location must be within Texas. The bill authorizes a licensee to maintain required records electronically if the licensee can produce the record for review on request by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs operating through its manufactured housing division.

H.B. 3527 removes the specification that the required provision of a certain written disclosure to a consumer by a retailer acting as a warehouse and warehouseman before entering into any agreement for a sale or exchange that will not be financed occur more than one day before entering into such an agreement. The bill removes requirements related to the timing of delivery, character, acceptance, and withdrawal of a contract for a manufactured home that is to be financed and not subject to specified federal law.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.