By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 4496       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to municipal and county building codes.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 388.003(a) and (b), Health and Safety   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  To achieve energy conservation in single-family   residential construction, on [the energy efficiency chapter of the   International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is   adopted as the energy code in this state for single-family   residential construction. On] January [September] 1, 2022 [2016],   the energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential   Code, as it existed on May 1, 2021 [2015], is adopted as the energy   code in this state for single-family residential construction. On   or after January [September] 1, 2028 [2021], the State Energy   Conservation Office may adopt and substitute for that energy code   the latest published edition of the energy efficiency chapter of   the International Residential Code, based on written findings on   the stringency of the chapter submitted by the laboratory under   Subsection (b-3). The office:                (1)  may not adopt an edition under this subsection   more often than once every six years; and                (2)  by rule shall establish an effective date for an   adopted edition that is not earlier than nine months after the date   of adoption.          (b)  To achieve energy conservation in all other   residential, commercial, and industrial construction, the   International Energy Conservation Code as it existed on May 1, 2021   [2001], is adopted as the energy code for use in this state for all   other residential, commercial, and industrial construction. The   State Energy Conservation Office may adopt and substitute for that   energy code the latest published edition of the International   Energy Conservation Code, based on written findings on the   stringency of the edition submitted by the laboratory under   Subsection (b-3). The office by rule shall establish an effective   date for an adopted edition that is not earlier than nine months   after the date of adoption.          SECTION 2.  Sections 214.212(a) and (d), Local Government   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  To protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the   International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2021   [2001], is adopted as a municipal residential building code in this   state.          (d)  A municipality may review and consider amendments made   by the International Code Council to the International Residential   Code after May 1, 2021 [2001].          SECTION 3.  Sections 214.214(a) and (c), Local Government   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the National   Electrical Code, as it existed on May 1, 2021 [2001], is adopted as   the municipal electrical construction code in this state and   applies to all residential and commercial electrical construction   applications.          (c)  The National Electrical Code applies to all commercial   buildings in a municipality [for which construction begins on or   after January 1, 2006,] and to any alteration, remodeling,   enlargement, or repair of those commercial buildings.          SECTION 4.  Sections 214.216(a), (b), (d), and (e), Local   Government Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  To protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the   International Building Code, as it existed on May 1, 2021 [2003], is   adopted as a municipal commercial building code in this state.          (b)  The International Building Code applies to all   commercial buildings in a municipality [for which construction   begins on or after January 1, 2006,] and to any alteration,   remodeling, enlargement, or repair of those commercial buildings.          (d)  A municipality may review and consider amendments made   by the International Code Council to the International Building   Code after May 1, 2021 [2003].          (e)  A municipality that has adopted a more stringent   commercial building code before January 1, 2022 [2006], is not   required to repeal that code and may adopt future editions of that   code.          SECTION 5.  Section 233.062(c), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The fire code must:                (1)  conform to:                      (A)  the International Fire Code, as published by   the International Code Council, as the code existed on May 1, 2021   [2005]; or                      (B)  the Uniform Fire Code, as published by the   National Fire Protection Association, as the code existed on May 1,   2021 [2005]; or                (2)  establish protective measures that exceed the   standards of the codes described by Subdivision (1).          SECTION 6.  Section 233.153(a), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  New residential construction of a single-family house   or duplex in the unincorporated area of a county to which this   subchapter applies shall conform to the version of the   International Residential Code published as of May 1, 2021 [2008],   or the version of the International Residential Code that is   applicable in the county seat of that county.          SECTION 7.  Section 233.153(b), Local Government Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 8.  The changes made by this Act apply only to   residential or commercial construction, remodeling, alteration,   enlargement, repair, or other activity, as applicable, that begins   under an agreement made on or after January 1, 2022, or that begins,   in the absence of an agreement, on or after that date. Residential   or commercial construction, remodeling, alteration, enlargement,   repair, or other applicable activity that begins under an agreement   made before January 1, 2022, or that begins, in the absence of an   agreement, before that date is governed by the law in effect when   the agreement was made or the activity began, as appropriate, and   that law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.