Proposed Action on Rules
EXEMPT FILING NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO THE INSURANCE CODE CHAPTER 5, SUBCHAPTER
L, ARTICLE 5.96
Notice is given that the Commissioner of Insurance will consider a petition
filed by the staff that requests amendments to the Texas Addendum to the Fire
Suppression Rating Schedule (Texas Addendum) which would simplify the language,
change the storage of the safety education and exit drills reports, clarify
the compressed air foam system criteria and revise the definition of the Firemen's
Training School (FTS).
A public hearing on this matter will not be held unless a separate request
for a hearing is submitted to the Office of the Chief clerk during the comment
period as defined herein.
The proposed amendments replace the lists that contain the nationally recognized
enforcement codes used in fire prevention and local construction with the
phrases "nationally recognized model fire code" and "nationally recognized
model building code;" respectively. The proposed amendments require school
districts to keep their Fire Safety Education and Exit Drill reports and make
them available upon request. The proposed amendments reword some sentences
within the Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) criteria to improve understandability.
The proposal also allows specifically designed CAFS apparatus to have an injection
or other system to enable it to switch between agents. The proposal requires
that CAFS apparatus be used in accordance and compliance with the manufacturer's
specifications, that all foam agents be compatible with Class A foam, and
that all foam agents be used in compliance with the manufacturer's specifications.
Additionally, the proposal amends the definition of FTS to include prevention
or suppression courses, which are at least 36 hours in duration and taught
by Texas A&M University within the last 3 years.
A copy of the petition, including exhibits with the full text of the proposed
amendments to the Texas Addendum, is available for review in the office of
the Chief Clerk of the Texas Department of Insurance, 333 Guadalupe Street,
Austin, Texas. For further information or to request copies of the petition,
please contact Angie Arizpe at (512) 463-6326; refer to (Ref. No. F-0503-12-I).
Comments on the proposed changes must be submitted in writing no later
than 5:00 p.m. on June 23, 2003 to the Office of the Chief Clerk, Texas Department
of Insurance, P.O. Box 149104, MC 113-2A, Austin, Texas 78714-9104. An additional
copy of the comments must be submitted simultaneously to G. Mike Davis, State
Fire Marshal, Mail Code 108-FM, Texas Department of Insurance, P.O. Box 149104,
Austin, Texas 78714-9104.
This notification is made pursuant to the Insurance Code, Article 5.96,
which exempts it from the requirements of the Government Code, Chapter 2001
(Administrative Procedure Act).
TRD-200303005
Gene C. Jarmon
General Counsel and Chief Clerk
Texas Department of Insurance
Filed: May 14, 2003