Sec. 247.002.  THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OR INSPECTION REQUIRED.  (a)  If a regulatory authority does not approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove a development document by the 15th day after the date prescribed by a provision of this code for the approval, conditional approval, or disapproval of the document, any required review of the document may be performed by a person:
(1)  other than:
(A)  the applicant; or
(B)  a person whose work is the subject of the application; and
(2)  who is:
(A)  employed by the regulatory authority to review development documents;
(B)  employed by another political subdivision to review development documents, if the regulatory authority has approved the person to review development documents; or
(C)  an engineer licensed under Chapter 1001, Occupations Code.
(b)  If a regulatory authority does not conduct a required development inspection by the 15th day after the date prescribed by a provision of this code for conducting the inspection, the inspection may be conducted by a person:
(1)  other than:
(A)  the owner of the land or improvement to the land that is the subject of the inspection; or
(B) a person whose work is the subject of the inspection; and
(2)  who is:
(A) certified to inspect buildings by the International Code Council;
(B)  employed by the regulatory authority as a building inspector;
(C)  employed by another political subdivision as a building inspector, if the regulatory authority has approved the person to perform inspections; or
(D)  an engineer licensed under Chapter 1001, Occupations Code.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 654 (H.B. 14), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.