HBA-DMH H.B. 217 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 217 By: Reyna, Arthur Licensing & Administrative Procedures 7/17/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners was required to adopt three plumbing codes. In an effort to achieve national uniformity, the International Code Council (ICC) was established in 1994 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes. The founders of the ICC are Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI). Since the early part of the last century, these nonprofit organizations have developed the three separate sets of model codes used throughout the United States. Although regional code development has been effective and responsive to our country's needs, the time has come for a single set of codes. The nation's three model code groups have responded by creating the ICC. House Bill 217 requires the board to adopt any plumbing code published by the ICC and authorizes the board by rule to adopt later editions of specified plumbing codes. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority expressly delegated to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners in SECTION 3 (Section 5B, Article 6243-101, V.T.C.S.) of this bill. ANALYSIS House Bill 217 amends The Plumbing License Law to modify the plumbing codes that the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners is required to adopt and authorizes the board by rule to adopt later editions of the adopted plumbing codes. The bill removes from the list of plumbing codes the board is required to adopt the Southern Standard Plumbing Code and the National Standard Plumbing Code and adds any plumbing code published by the International Code Council. The bill provides that plumbing installed in an area not otherwise subject to regulation under The Plumbing License Law must be installed in accordance with a board adopted plumbing code. The bill authorizes municipalities or owners of a public water system to amend any provisions of the codes and standards to conform to local concerns that do not substantially vary with rules or laws of this state. The bill modifies the plumbing acts permitted without a license. The bill provides that plumbing installed in compliance with an adopted plumbing code must be inspected by a plumbing inspector. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. The modification of provisions regarding plumbing work expressly permitted without a license takes effect January 1, 2002.