H.B. No. 1758
AN ACT
relating to the requirements for a plumber's apprentice to obtain a
plumber's license.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1301.354, Occupations Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e)
to read as follows:
(b) A person who has worked as a plumber's apprentice for a
period established by law or board rule may apply to [for and] take
an examination for a license as a journeyman plumber or tradesman
plumber-limited license holder. Before the applicant may take the
examination, the applicant must complete classroom training
provided by a board-approved instructor in a board-approved
training program in the areas of health and safety, applicable
plumbing codes, and water conservation for at least:
(1) 24 hours if the applicant is applying to take a
tradesman plumber-limited license holder examination; or
(2) 48 hours if the applicant is applying to take a
journeyman plumber examination.
(c) At the applicant's request, the board may credit an
applicant under Subsection (b) with up to 500 hours of the work
experience required before taking an examination if the applicant
has completed the classroom portion of a training program:
(1) approved by the United States Department of Labor,
Office of Apprenticeship; or
(2) provided by a person approved by the board and
based on course materials approved by the board.
(d) Notwithstanding the classroom training required by
Subsection (b), a plumber's apprentice may apply for and take an
examination for a license as a journeyman plumber or tradesman
plumber-limited license holder if the apprentice has received an
associate of applied science degree from a plumbing technology
program that:
(1) includes a combination of classroom and on-the-job
training; and
(2) is approved by the board and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a plumber's apprentice
who is enrolled in good standing in a training program approved by
the United States Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship,
may take an examination without completing the classroom training
required by Subsection (b)(1) or (2).
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an application to take an examination submitted to the Texas State
Board of Plumbing Examiners on or after the effective date of this
Act. An application submitted before the effective date of this Act
is governed by the law in effect on the date the application is
submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the House on March
31, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the Senate on May
14, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor