H.B. No. 14
 
 
 
AN ACT
relating to third-party review of plats and property development
plans, permits, and similar documents, and the inspection of an
improvement related to such a document.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 7, Local Government Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 247 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 247.  THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS AND
INSPECTION OF IMPROVEMENTS
       Sec. 247.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
             (1)  "Development document" means a document,
including an application for a plat, plan, or development permit,
related to the development of or improvement to land that is
required by law, ordinance, rule, or other measure to be approved by
a regulatory authority in order for a person to initiate, engage in,
or complete the development or improvement.
             (2)  "Development inspection" means the inspection of
an improvement to land required by a regulatory authority as part of
a project to develop the land or construct or improve an improvement
to the land.
             (3)  "Development permit" means a permit required by a
regulatory authority to develop land or construct or improve an
improvement to land.
             (4)  "Plan" has the meaning assigned by Section
212.001.
             (5)  "Plat" has the meaning assigned by Section 212.001
except that the term includes a development plat under Subchapter
B, Chapter 212.
             (6)  "Regulatory authority" means the governing body of
a political subdivision, or a department, board, commission, or
other entity of the political subdivision, responsible for
processing or approving a development document or conducting a
development inspection.
       Sec. 247.002.  THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OR INSPECTION REQUIRED.  
(a)  If a regulatory authority does not approve, conditionally
approve, or disapprove a development document by the 15th day after
the date prescribed by a provision of this code for the approval,
conditional approval, or disapproval of the document, any required
review of the document may be performed by a person:
             (1)  other than:
                   (A)  the applicant; or
                   (B)  a person whose work is the subject of the
application; and
             (2)  who is:
                   (A)  employed by the regulatory authority to
review development documents;
                   (B)  employed by another political subdivision to
review development documents, if the regulatory authority has
approved the person to review development documents; or
                   (C)  an engineer licensed under Chapter 1001,
Occupations Code.
       (b)  If a regulatory authority does not conduct a required
development inspection by the 15th day after the date prescribed by
a provision of this code for conducting the inspection, the
inspection may be conducted by a person:
             (1)  other than:
                   (A)  the owner of the land or improvement to the
land that is the subject of the inspection; or
                   (B) a person whose work is the subject of the
inspection; and
             (2)  who is:
                   (A) certified to inspect buildings by the
International Code Council;
                   (B)  employed by the regulatory authority as a
building inspector;
                   (C)  employed by another political subdivision as
a building inspector, if the regulatory authority has approved the
person to perform inspections; or
                   (D)  an engineer licensed under Chapter 1001,
Occupations Code.
      

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()
House Committee Report: ()
Engrossed: ()
Senate Committee Report: ()
Enrolled: ()