BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1819 By: Bohac Business & Industry Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Certain municipalities currently do not have an ordinance outlining the minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental housing complexes. This creates a situation where the livable conditions for some of these facilities can lapse, causing a dangerous living environment in these facilities. H.B. 1819 requires certain municipalities to adopt an ordinance that creates a minimum habitability standard for all multi-family rental housing complexes. 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 H.B. 1819 amends the Local Government Code to require a municipality with a population of 1.7 million or more to adopt an ordinance to establish minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental buildings, including required maintenance of the proper operating condition of certain enumerated structural features, fixtures, and other components of such multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires the municipality to designate in the ordinance the method for determining devices that qualify as approved heating devices capable of maintaining a minimum indoor temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit when the outdoor temperature is 20 degrees. The bill authorizes a municipality to establish other standards as necessary to reduce material risks to the physical health or safety of tenants of multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires a municipality to establish a program for inspection of multi-family rental buildings to determine if the buildings meet the minimum required habitability standards. The bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor offense for an owner of a multi-family rental building to violate a minimum habitability standards ordinance, and makes each day a violation continues a separate offense. The bill authorizes a municipality to impose a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 a day for a violation of the ordinance. The bill defines "multi-family rental building" and "unit." The bill makes its provisions applicable to a municipality not later than December 31, 2009. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1819
By: Bohac
Business & Industry
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1819
By: Bohac
Business & Industry
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Certain municipalities currently do not have an ordinance outlining the minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental housing complexes. This creates a situation where the livable conditions for some of these facilities can lapse, causing a dangerous living environment in these facilities. H.B. 1819 requires certain municipalities to adopt an ordinance that creates a minimum habitability standard for all multi-family rental housing complexes.
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 H.B. 1819 amends the Local Government Code to require a municipality with a population of 1.7 million or more to adopt an ordinance to establish minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental buildings, including required maintenance of the proper operating condition of certain enumerated structural features, fixtures, and other components of such multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires the municipality to designate in the ordinance the method for determining devices that qualify as approved heating devices capable of maintaining a minimum indoor temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit when the outdoor temperature is 20 degrees. The bill authorizes a municipality to establish other standards as necessary to reduce material risks to the physical health or safety of tenants of multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires a municipality to establish a program for inspection of multi-family rental buildings to determine if the buildings meet the minimum required habitability standards. The bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor offense for an owner of a multi-family rental building to violate a minimum habitability standards ordinance, and makes each day a violation continues a separate offense. The bill authorizes a municipality to impose a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 a day for a violation of the ordinance. The bill defines "multi-family rental building" and "unit." The bill makes its provisions applicable to a municipality not later than December 31, 2009.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Certain municipalities currently do not have an ordinance outlining the minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental housing complexes. This creates a situation where the livable conditions for some of these facilities can lapse, causing a dangerous living environment in these facilities.
H.B. 1819 requires certain municipalities to adopt an ordinance that creates a minimum habitability standard for all multi-family rental housing complexes.
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
H.B. 1819 amends the Local Government Code to require a municipality with a population of 1.7 million or more to adopt an ordinance to establish minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental buildings, including required maintenance of the proper operating condition of certain enumerated structural features, fixtures, and other components of such multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires the municipality to designate in the ordinance the method for determining devices that qualify as approved heating devices capable of maintaining a minimum indoor temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit when the outdoor temperature is 20 degrees. The bill authorizes a municipality to establish other standards as necessary to reduce material risks to the physical health or safety of tenants of multi-family rental buildings. The bill requires a municipality to establish a program for inspection of multi-family rental buildings to determine if the buildings meet the minimum required habitability standards. The bill makes it a Class C misdemeanor offense for an owner of a multi-family rental building to violate a minimum habitability standards ordinance, and makes each day a violation continues a separate offense. The bill authorizes a municipality to impose a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 a day for a violation of the ordinance. The bill defines "multi-family rental building" and "unit." The bill makes its provisions applicable to a municipality not later than December 31, 2009.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.