Bill Text: TX HB3876 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to the issuance of local permits by a regulatory agency of a political subdivision; limiting the amount of a fee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-11 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB3876 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB3876-Comm_Sub.html
  84R26571 JTS-F
 
  By: Workman H.B. No. 3876
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3876:
 
  By:  Deshotel C.S.H.B. No. 3876
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the issuance of local permits by a regulatory agency of
  a political subdivision; limiting the amount of a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 245.006, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 245.006.  ENFORCEMENT OF CHAPTER. (a)  Except as
  provided by Section 245.0061, this [This] chapter may be enforced
  only through mandamus or declaratory or injunctive relief.
         (b)  A political subdivision's immunity from suit is waived
  in regard to an action under this chapter.  A political subdivision
  that has been found by a court to have violated this chapter is
  liable for:
               (1)  the permit applicant's attorney's fees and
  administrative and court costs; and
               (2)  the applicant's portion of the cost of any
  mediation requested under Section 245.0061 that did not result in
  an agreement.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 245, Local Government Code, is amended
  by adding Section 245.0061 to read as follows:
         Sec. 245.0061.  AVAILABILITY OF MANDATORY MEDIATION. (a)  A
  permit applicant, by written notice to the chief administrative law
  judge of the State Office of Administrative Hearings and the
  regulatory agency, may request mediation of a dispute arising out
  of a regulatory agency's determination that this chapter does not
  apply to the applicant's project.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, Chapter
  154, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, governs the mediation.
         (c)  The chief administrative law judge shall appoint a
  mediator from a list of qualified mediators maintained by the State
  Office of Administrative Hearings through random assignment,
  giving notice to the parties in writing. The parties may substitute
  a mediator of their choice in place of the appointed mediator not
  later than the seventh day after the date of the appointment.
         (d)  The mediator is entitled to a reasonable fee, due at the
  time mediation convenes, which shall be borne equally by the
  parties unless the parties agree otherwise.
         (e)  The parties shall cooperate with the mediator in setting
  the date, time, and place of the mediation, which shall be convened
  and completed not later than the 30th day after the date of the
  applicant's written notice. If the parties fail to agree on a date,
  time, or place for the mediation, the mediator shall unilaterally
  set the date, time, and place of the mediation so that the mediation
  is convened and completed in the 30-day period.
         (f)  An authorized representative of each party with
  authority to settle the dispute must be physically present at the
  mediation.
         (g)  Failure by a party to attend and participate in
  mediation shall be considered a default, entitling the other party
  to the party's requested relief and reserving only the issue of any
  attorney's fees or damages otherwise legally permitted, which shall
  be determined by an administrative law judge of the State Office of
  Administrative Hearings after a hearing to which each party is
  given notice.
         (h)  Additional rules governing the conduct of the mediation
  shall be provided by the mediator consistent with this section and
  Chapter 154, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Any dispute arising
  out of the procedure in convening the mediation shall be determined
  by an administrative law judge assigned by the State Office of
  Administrative Hearings on the request of a party with written
  notice to the other party.
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 245, Local Government Code, is amended
  by adding Section 245.008 to read as follows:
         Sec. 245.008.  REGULATORY AGENCY FEE. A fee imposed by a
  regulatory agency to review an application for determination of the
  applicability of this chapter to the permit applicant's project may
  not exceed $250.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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