BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 4753
89R19097 CS-F	By: Gates et al. (Parker)
	Local Government
	5/9/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The bill author has informed the committee that during the organizational meeting of the House Committee on Land & Resource Management, a situation was brought to light wherein a municipality required a property owner who had lost an original certificate of occupancy to go through the application process for another certificate of occupancy, including the payment of the application fees, even though the municipality had a record of the original certificate's issuance. H.B. 4753 seeks to address this issue by providing for a document verifying that a certificate of occupancy was issued to serve as a replacement for an original certificate of occupancy.

H.B. 4753 amends current law relating to the municipal issuance of a document verifying that a certificate of occupancy has been issued for certain buildings.

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 Subchapter Z, Chapter 214, Local Government Code, by adding Section 214.909, as follows:

Sec. 214.909. DOCUMENT VERIFYING CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. (a) Requires a municipality to issue a document to the owner of a building verifying that the municipality has issued an original certificate of occupancy for the building if the owner requests the document and the municipality has a record of issuing the original certificate of occupancy for the building.

(b) Prohibits a municipality from adopting or enforcing an ordinance, regulation, or other measure that requires the owner of a building issued a document described by Subsection (a) for the building to obtain or display the original certificate of occupancy for the building.

(c) Requires a municipality to allow the owner of a building to display a document described by Subsection (a) issued for the building in lieu of the building's original certificate of occupancy.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.