A message from Janet Ahmad:
Big News TRCC Abolished and Outstanding Public Citizen Arbitration Report 
Yesterday Public Citizen published an outstanding Binding Arbitration Report. Today the Texas Legislature killed the Homebuilders Protection Agency, the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC)

I would like to give a special thanks to all you who participated and testified in the many committees over the years.  It is only with your sacrifices and participation did lawmakers truly understand that made todays events possible.
 
Again thanks to all,
Janet
SEE NEWS REPORTS

Houston Chronicle: Confirms TRCC Will Die
Residential Construction Commission to die
The Senate sponsor of a House bill to re-create the Texas Residential Construction Commission said he will let the bill die, meaning that the much-criticized agency will be "sunsetted." "The (legislative) members have pretty well spoken, and it's probably in the best interest to do a systematic wind-down of the agency," said Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy. The Sunset Advisory Commission staff last year recommended the agency be abolished, saying it did more harm than good for consumers. ..Senate Business & Commerce Chairman Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay , said he never scheduled the bill for a hearing because builders and consumer advocates could not reach a compromise. "It's been a war zone the last two years," said Fraser. Read more...

Quorum Report: TRCC phased out under the state’s Sunset
HEGAR SAYS HE'S INCLINED TO LET TRCC BE PHASED OUT
The agency's sunset bill is dead and is now unlikely to be included in the catch-all bill.Sen. Glenn Hegar told reporters that he’s inclined to allow the Texas Residential Construction Commission to be phased out under the state’s Sunset process because lawmakers were unable to reach a compromise on how to keep the agency functioning. Hegar, a Katy Republican, is carrying the catch-all Sunset bill that’s pending in the Senate to cover those agencies whose Sunset bills die during the waning stages of the session. The TRCC Sunset bill did not get a hearing in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee. “It is my inclination at this point in time, and the members have pretty well spoken, that we do a systematic wind down of the agency under the provisions of the Sunset Act,” Hegar said during a brief chat at the Senate press table during a break in the floor action. Hegar said he’s still talking with Rep. Ruth McClendon Jones (D-San Antonio), who’s the House sponsor of the catch-all bill, but his mind is just about made up not include TRCC in the measure. If the measure is not included, it would appear that the only way to save the agency would in conference committee, he said. But that would require the panel to go outside the bounds. By John Moritz

Quorum Report on TRCC: Rep. Hegar no compromise seen
TRCC PROSPECTS LOOK BLEAK IN THE SENATE
Texas Residential Construction Commission may not survive the session. The Senate Business and Commerce Committee will not vote out the Sunset bill dealing with the Texas Residential Construction Commission, meaning the agency will go out of business unless it can be saved by appending it to other still-moving legislation.  “I was not able to reach a compromise with all parties,” said B&C Chairman Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay). “We simply ran out of time. My committee is not scheduled to meet again, so whether that agency can be saved is out of my control.” The agency tasked with promoting the construction of quality homes and looking after the interests of new homebuyers has been slammed by its critics as being little more than a tool for the industry. Sen. Glenn Hegar, the Katy Republican who is carrying the catch-all bill that extends the life of agencies that slip through their Sunset process, said he’s not yet made a decision about whether to save TRCC.  “Ruth (McClendon Jones) and I are talking about how we want to proceed,” Hegar said, referring to the House sponsor of the catch-all bill. “We don’t have an answer just yet, but we’re working on it.” The commission is made up of nine members who are appointed by the governor and serve staggered six-year terms. Four of them must be registered builders, three must be members of the public, one must be an engineer in the residential construction field and one must be either an architect or inspector in the residential construction field. By John Moritz

Quorum Report: TRCC PROSPECTS LOOK BLEAK IN THE SENATE
Texas Residential Construction Commission may not survive the session
The Senate Business and Commerce Committee will not vote out the Sunset bill dealing with the Texas Residential Construction Commission, meaning the agency will go out of business unless it can be saved by appending it to other still-moving legislation. “I was not able to reach a compromise with all parties,” said B&C Chairman Troy Fraser ( R-Horseshoe Bay ). “We simply ran out of time. My committee is not scheduled to meet again, so whether that agency can be saved is out of my control.” The agency tasked with promoting the construction of quality homes and looking after the interests of new homebuyers has been slammed by its critics as being little more than a tool for the industry. The rest of the story, Quorum Report subscribers only.

Public Citizen Report - Home Court Advantage