[HIGHLIGHTS ADDED. We removed the front section of the article, which talked about Voter ID.]

AUSTIN - The next test for the embattled Texas Residential Construction Commission comes Tuesday, when the Sunset Advisory Commission will decide whether to endorse a staff recommendation that the Legislature abolish the agency.

Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, the Sunset vice chairman, said he isn't sure what will happen but suspected that the Sunset panel may override the staff and vote to keep the TRCC, but overhaul it to make it more consumer-friendly.

"My sense is there are enough votes to continue this agency in some form or fashion rather than abolish it," he said.

The TRCC was created in 2003 with the strong support of home builders, including mega-political donor Bob Perry of Houston, to offer builders more protection against lawsuits from unhappy customers.

The agency supposedly was to weed out bad actors from the building profession by strengthening industry standards. But consumer advocates have complained that the commission is little more than a protective umbrella for builders, and they applauded the Sunset staff's recommendation to get rid of it.

Ten of the 12 members of the Sunset Advisory Commission are legislators, and, as I reported a few months ago, Perry has given those 10 more than $400,000 during their legislative careers. Hegar has received $64,500 from Perry, most of it during his first Senate race in 2006.

Hegar said Perry's money won't affect his decision.

"I think I met the man one time in my life," he said.

When asked what he would do if the TRCC's future were up to him alone, Hegar stopped short of abolishing the agency.

"I would probably get rid of the board and get rid of everybody and start all over from scratch," he said.

-----

To see more of the Houston Chronicle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chron.com.

Clay Robinson, Houston Chronicle
12/15/2008

Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2881885

 ↑ Back to Top