1. (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. (1) other than:

      1. (A) the applicant; or
      2. (B) a person whose work is the subject of the application; and

   2. (2) who is:

      1. (A) employed by the regulatory authority to review development documents;
      2. (B) employed by another political subdivision to review development documents, if the regulatory authority has approved the person to review development documents; or
      3. (C) an engineer licensed under Chapter 1001, Occupations Code.

2. (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. (1) other than:

      1. (A) the owner of the land or improvement to the land that is the subject of the inspection; or
      2. (B) a person whose work is the subject of the inspection; and

   2. (2) who is:

      1. (A) certified to inspect buildings by the International Code Council;
      2. (B) employed by the regulatory authority as a building inspector;
      3. (C) employed by another political subdivision as a building inspector, if the regulatory authority has approved the person to perform inspections; or
      4. (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.