89th Legislative Session

Expands the 2019 Fair and Open Competition Act, prohibiting Project Labor Agreements on all public projects, including local government projects (cities, counties, school districts). This ensures fair and open competition, allowing all qualified contractors to bid without union mandates.

Allows general contractors and subcontractors who pay twice due to payment theft by a subcontractor to pursue the individuals who took the funds. This change in Property Code 162 provides clear rights to recover losses, protecting both contractors and suppliers.

Addresses a loophole in the Right to Repair statute by defining a clear accrual date for defect claims, preventing costly legal disputes and ensuring contractors have a fair opportunity to address issues in a timely manner.

Eliminates the current tax on non-residential building renovations, encouraging investment in Texas’s existing infrastructure. This tax currently discourages property improvements and unfairly penalizes renovation over new construction.

Updates the current $1 million cap on change orders to reflect inflation and current project costs. This allows flexibility for contractors working on public projects, ensuring budgets can accommodate rising costs without delay.

Establishes the IPC as the single statewide plumbing code, aligning plumbing regulations with Texas’s other I-Codes (building, fire, and energy). This simplifies compliance for contractors and provides consistency across Texas.

Expands the definition of “critical infrastructure” to include large-scale infrastructure projects and sets thresholds for Right to Repair applicability. This adjustment gives contractors a fair chance to make repairs on high-impact projects, reducing legal costs and promoting proactive issue resolution.