HBA-ATS S.B. 623 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 623 By: Lucio Business & Industry 5/13/1999 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, no provisions exist for federally- or state-subsidized constructed single-family homes to meet certain basic accessibility requirements. S.B. 623 enumerates the special features that must be included in the construction of affordable housing by a person who has been awarded state or federal funds by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for such a purpose. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter X, Chapter 2306, Government Code, by adding Section 2306.514, as follows: Sec. 2306.514. CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. (a) Enumerates the special features that must be included in the construction of affordable housing by a person who has been awarded state or federal funds by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for such a purpose. The home must have at least one entrance door that is on an accessible route served by a ramp or no-step entrance and has a net clear opening of at least 30 inches. In addition, each interior door on the first floor of the building must be a standard 30-inch door, unless the door provides access only to a closet of fewer than 15 square feet in area. Likewise, each hallway on the first floor of the building must have a width of at least 36 inches and must be level, with ramped or beveled changes at each door threshold. Each bathroom wall on the first floor of the building must be reinforced for potential installation of grab bars. Each electrical panel or breaker box, light switch, or thermostat on the first floor of the building must not be higher than 48 inches above the floor. Additionally, each electrical plug or other receptacle on the first floor of the building must be at least 15 inches above the floor. Each breaker box must be located inside the building on the first floor. (b) Authorizes a person who constructs affordable housing to obtain a waiver from having to construct an accessible route served by a ramp or no-step entrance if the cost of grading the terrain to meet this requirement is prohibitively expensive. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Amendment No. 1: Amends S.B. 623 in SECTION 1 (proposed Section 2306.514(a)(1)(B)) by providing that the one required entrance door that is on an accessible route served by a ramp or no-step entrance have a net clear opening of at least 34, rather than 30, inches. Amends S.B. 623 in SECTION 1 (proposed Section 2306.514(a)(2)(A)) by providing that each interior door on the first floor of the building is at least a 32-inch door, rather than a standard 30-inch door.