From the 83rd: The Two-Month Shot Clock

The 2013 Legislative Session has entered into the final two months.  This week in particular has proven to be active for many of TMHA’s legislative agenda items.

On Wednesday the Senate voted out SB 672 by Sen. Carona by a unanimous vote of 31 – 0.  SB 672 is the bill limiting the jurisdiction of TDLR enforcement over residential industrialized homes (“modular homes”) to two years following the homes initial installation.  The House companion bill, HB 578, was heard in committee last week where TMHA Executive Director, DJ Pendleton, testified in favor of the bill.  Following general pro forma procedures of leaving bills heard in committee pending for a week, HB 578 was also voted out of committee yesterday and sent to the House general intent calendar.

What does all this mean for SB 672 and HB 578, which now share identical language?  When the House takes up HB 578 on the floor, the bill sponsor can substitute the then eligible senate version, hopefully receive enough votes on the House floor to pass, and the bill will be headed to the Governor’s desk.
Also on Wednesday the House committee on Urban Affairs heard HB 2954 by Rep. Guillen.  This bill would serve as the enabling language to create the ability for the manufactured housing division of TDHCA to administer a specific manufactured home buyer down payment assistance program.  Eligible home buyers would be able to receive up to $2,000 in down payment assistance.  Again, TMHA Executive Director, DJ Pendleton, testified in committee in favor of the bill.

Finally, on Tuesday HB 2132 by Rep. Kolkhorst was heard in the House Transportation Committee.  TMHA has been following this bill closely because under the filed version it would require a new licensing and certification process, administered through the Department of Motor Vehicles, for oversized transport escort vehicle pilot’s licensure.  TMHA has and continues to work closely with Chairwoman Kolkorst on her bill and requested a specific carve out exception for manufactured and modular home transportation.

TMHA is still working on defending against several other filed bills we see as having an unjustifiably adverse impact on the industry.  We are also monitoring several manufactured housing specific bills that related to de minimus licensing, commercial based community licensing exemptions, and salesperson deregulation.  TMHA hopes our supported bill, HB 3613 by Rep. Elkins, is heard next week in the House Ways and Means Committee, which would allow any tax lien delinquent more than four years on a manufactured home in which a tax collection suit has not been filed to be purged from the TDHCA titling records.

TMHA will continue to keep our membership updated with the rapid developments we expect on multiple fronts in the remaining two months of this session.