By: Perry S.B. No. 1948
(In the Senate - Filed March 5, 2025; March 17, 2025, read
first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture and
Rural Affairs; April 1, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 1;
April 1, 2025, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1948 By: Birdwell
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of fire prevention standards for certain
agricultural facilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle Z, Title 10, Government Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 3001 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 3001. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN FIRE REGULATIONS
Sec. 3001.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Agricultural pole barn" means a nonresidential
farm building in which 70 percent or more of the perimeter walls are
permanently open and allow free ingress and egress.
(2) "Governmental entity" has the meaning assigned by
Section 2007.002.
(3) "Livestock market" has the meaning assigned by
Section 161.111, Agriculture Code.
(4) "Nonresidential farm building" means any
temporary or permanent building on a farm, ranch, or other
agricultural facility that is used primarily for agricultural
purposes and not intended to be used as a residential dwelling. The
term includes a barn, greenhouse, shade house, farm office, storage
building, workshop, poultry house, animal handling facility, or
commodity storage and feed processing facility.
Sec. 3001.002. RESTRICTION ON REGULATION OF CERTAIN
AGRICULTURAL FACILITIES. Notwithstanding any other law, a
governmental entity may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, order,
rule, or other measure that requires the installation of a fire
protection sprinkler system in:
(1) an agricultural pole barn;
(2) a nonresidential farm building;
(3) a cotton gin;
(4) a cottonseed storage building;
(5) a grain storage facility;
(6) a livestock market; or
(7) a commercial feed mill.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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