| 1 | 1 | | 87R11390 MP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.B. No. 3634 |
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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 the adoption of county and municipal building codes for |
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| 8 | 8 | | the insulation and protection of piping in new residential |
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| 9 | 9 | | construction. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 250, Local Government Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | by adding Section 250.011 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 250.011. RESIDENTIAL PIPE INSULATION. (a) In |
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| 14 | 14 | | accordance with Subchapter G, Chapter 214, a municipality shall |
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| 15 | 15 | | adopt the building code regulations described by this section. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) A county to which Subchapter F, Chapter 233, applies |
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| 17 | 17 | | shall in accordance with that subchapter adopt the building code |
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| 18 | 18 | | regulations described by this section. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) A building code regulation adopted under this section |
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| 20 | 20 | | must: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) apply to new residential construction beginning on |
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| 22 | 22 | | or after January 1, 2022; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) require a pipe to be: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) insulated to an R-value of not less than 3 if |
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| 25 | 25 | | the pipe is: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (i) associated with a mechanical system; |
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| 27 | 27 | | and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (ii) designed to carry a fluid at a |
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| 29 | 29 | | temperature of not less than 55 degrees Fahrenheit and not more than |
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| 30 | 30 | | 105 degrees Fahrenheit; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (B) protected from sunlight, moisture, and wind |
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| 32 | 32 | | with appropriate shielding materials not including adhesive tape if |
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| 33 | 33 | | the pipe is: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (i) described by Paragraph (A); and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (ii) exposed to outside weather conditions. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (d) In addition to the requirements under Subsection (c), |
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| 37 | 37 | | the regulations must require a pipe associated with service hot |
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| 38 | 38 | | water to be insulated to an R-value of not less than 3 if the pipe: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) is three-fourths inch or greater in diameter; or |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) leads to a kitchen outlet, a distribution |
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| 41 | 41 | | manifold, or multiple dwelling units. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2022, a municipality or |
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| 43 | 43 | | county to which this Act applies shall take the necessary actions to |
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| 44 | 44 | | implement Section 250.011, Local Government Code, as added by this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 47 | 47 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 48 | 48 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 49 | 49 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 50 | 50 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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