BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1450

By: Bettencourt

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that it is necessary to revise statutory provisions relating to third-party review of development documents and inspection of improvements required to be approved by a political subdivision. S.B. 1450 seeks to address this need by clarifying and correcting those statutory provisions.

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. 1450 amends the Local Government Code to clarify that a development permit is included among the development documents that may be reviewed by a specified third party if a regulatory authority of a political subdivision does not approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the development document by the 15th day after the date prescribed by a provision of the Local Government Code for the approval, conditional approval, or disapproval of the document. The bill revises the qualifications for a person who conducts an inspection under certain circumstances that the person be certified by the International Code Council, rather than certified by that organization to inspect buildings. The bill further clarifies that a political subdivision is not liable for a review or inspection performed by a third party.

S.B. 1450 establishes that these provisions are intended to clarify rather than change existing law.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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