BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1376

By: Hughes

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law requires code enforcement officers in training to work under the supervision of a registered code enforcement officer. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that while this ensures oversight, it creates challenges in the onboarding and utilization of trainees for smaller and rural municipalities that cannot afford or attract registered officers, which can cause these areas to experience delays in code enforcement and allow issues like abandoned properties, fire hazards, and zoning violations to go unaddressed. S.B. 1376 seeks to offer a practical solution to enforcement bottlenecks in rural and underserved communities by authorizing code enforcement officers in training to perform their duties without supervision if their employer does not have a registered officer on staff.

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

S.B. 1376 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a code enforcement officer in training to engage in code enforcement without supervision if the employer of the officer in training does not also employ a registered code enforcement officer.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.