| 1 | 1 | | 81R4746 AJA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 677 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to requiring solar panels to be offered by certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | builders of new homes. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. The heading of Subtitle F, Title 16, Property |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBTITLE F. REGULATION [INSPECTION] OF [NEW] RESIDENTIAL |
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| 13 | 13 | | CONSTRUCTION GENERALLY |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 2. The heading of Chapter 446, Property Code, is |
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| 15 | 15 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | CHAPTER 446. INSPECTION OF RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN |
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| 17 | 17 | | UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND OTHER AREAS NOT SUBJECT TO MUNICIPAL |
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| 18 | 18 | | INSPECTIONS |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 3. Subtitle F, Title 16, Property Code, is amended |
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| 20 | 20 | | by adding Chapter 447 to read as follows: |
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| 21 | 21 | | CHAPTER 447. REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS |
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| 22 | 22 | | Sec. 447.001. SOLAR PANEL OPTION REQUIRED IN CERTAIN |
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| 23 | 23 | | SUBDIVISIONS. (a) In this section, "solar energy device" means a |
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| 24 | 24 | | system or series of mechanisms designed primarily to provide |
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| 25 | 25 | | heating or cooling or to produce electrical or mechanical power by |
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| 26 | 26 | | collecting and transferring solar-generated energy. The term |
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| 27 | 27 | | includes a mechanical or chemical device that has the ability to |
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| 28 | 28 | | store solar-generated energy for use in heating or cooling or in the |
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| 29 | 29 | | production of power. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) This chapter applies only to a contract for construction |
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| 31 | 31 | | of a new home in a subdivision that contains more than 50 lots on |
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| 32 | 32 | | which the builder has built or is offering to build new homes. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) A builder who enters into a contract to which this |
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| 34 | 34 | | chapter applies shall offer the home buyer an option to install a |
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| 35 | 35 | | solar energy device on the home for heating or cooling or for the |
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| 36 | 36 | | production of power. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 38 | 38 | | to a contract for new home construction entered into on or after the |
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| 39 | 39 | | effective date of this Act. A contract entered into before the |
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| 40 | 40 | | effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect |
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| 41 | 41 | | immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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| 42 | 42 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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