BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1715 By: West Business & Industry Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires a landlord to install smoke detectors in dwelling units, but only those that would alert a hearing person. S.B. 1715 requires a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves, if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability. 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. 1715 amends the Property Code to require a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability. The bill is enacted to honor the memory of Sephra Burks. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 S.B. 1715 is amended to make the effective date of the bill January 1, 2010.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
S.B. 1715
By: West
Business & Industry
Committee Report (Amended)
S.B. 1715
By: West
Business & Industry
Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires a landlord to install smoke detectors in dwelling units, but only those that would alert a hearing person. S.B. 1715 requires a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves, if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability.
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. 1715 amends the Property Code to require a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability. The bill is enacted to honor the memory of Sephra Burks.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009.
EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS
Committee Amendment No. 1 S.B. 1715 is amended to make the effective date of the bill January 1, 2010.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law requires a landlord to install smoke detectors in dwelling units, but only those that would alert a hearing person.
S.B. 1715 requires a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves, if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability.
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. 1715 amends the Property Code to require a smoke detector installed in a residential tenancy, in addition to meeting other requirements, to be capable of alerting a hearing-impaired person in the bedrooms it serves if such capability is requested by a tenant as an accommodation for a person with a hearing-impairment disability or as required by law as a reasonable accommodation for a person with such a disability. The bill is enacted to honor the memory of Sephra Burks.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2009.
EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS
Committee Amendment No. 1
S.B. 1715 is amended to make the effective date of the bill January 1, 2010.