BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 470 By: Carona Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 2003, the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, passed the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act. The act set statewide, enforceable standards for electrical work and required that most electricians working in the industry be properly trained and licensed. Under current law, there are six licensing categories for electricians: master electrician, journeyman electrician, apprentice electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, and apprentice sign electrician. With the exception of apprentice electricians, the act requires licensed electricians in all categories to obtain a certain number of training and continuing education hours each year. C.S.S.B. 470 requires electrical apprentices not enrolled in a recognized apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education each year. The bill also requires that continuing education courses for all classes of licenses address electrical safety. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 2 of this bill. ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 470 amends the Occupations Code to include safety in the topics that must be addressed in the required continuing education courses for renewal of a master electrician, journeyman electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, maintenance electrician, or residential wireman license. The bill requires an electrical apprentice license holder who is not enrolled in an apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education annually to renew the license and requires the courses that satisfy those requirements to address safety, the National Electrical Code, and state laws and rules regulating electricians. The bill authorizes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered program to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs. C.S.S.B. 470 defines "apprenticeship training program." C.S.S.B. 470 makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by defining "apprenticeship training program" as an electrical training program that is recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, registered with the United States Department of Labor, or is a competency-based standardized craft training program that meets the training program standards of the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, whereas the original defines "apprenticeship training program" as a program recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that combines technical classroom instruction and structured on-the-job training for electrical apprentices. C.S.S.B. 470 adds a provision not in the original authorizing the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered programs to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs. C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010, whereas the original makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of such a license that expires on or after the original's effective date, which is March 31, 2010. C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions effective September 1, 2009, whereas the original makes its provisions effective March 31, 2010.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.S.B. 470
By: Carona
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Committee Report (Substituted)
C.S.S.B. 470
By: Carona
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 2003, the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, passed the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act. The act set statewide, enforceable standards for electrical work and required that most electricians working in the industry be properly trained and licensed. Under current law, there are six licensing categories for electricians: master electrician, journeyman electrician, apprentice electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, and apprentice sign electrician. With the exception of apprentice electricians, the act requires licensed electricians in all categories to obtain a certain number of training and continuing education hours each year. C.S.S.B. 470 requires electrical apprentices not enrolled in a recognized apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education each year. The bill also requires that continuing education courses for all classes of licenses address electrical safety.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 2 of this bill.
ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 470 amends the Occupations Code to include safety in the topics that must be addressed in the required continuing education courses for renewal of a master electrician, journeyman electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, maintenance electrician, or residential wireman license. The bill requires an electrical apprentice license holder who is not enrolled in an apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education annually to renew the license and requires the courses that satisfy those requirements to address safety, the National Electrical Code, and state laws and rules regulating electricians. The bill authorizes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered program to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs. C.S.S.B. 470 defines "apprenticeship training program." C.S.S.B. 470 makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by defining "apprenticeship training program" as an electrical training program that is recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, registered with the United States Department of Labor, or is a competency-based standardized craft training program that meets the training program standards of the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, whereas the original defines "apprenticeship training program" as a program recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that combines technical classroom instruction and structured on-the-job training for electrical apprentices. C.S.S.B. 470 adds a provision not in the original authorizing the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered programs to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs. C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010, whereas the original makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of such a license that expires on or after the original's effective date, which is March 31, 2010. C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions effective September 1, 2009, whereas the original makes its provisions effective March 31, 2010.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In 2003, the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, passed the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act. The act set statewide, enforceable standards for electrical work and required that most electricians working in the industry be properly trained and licensed. Under current law, there are six licensing categories for electricians: master electrician, journeyman electrician, apprentice electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, and apprentice sign electrician. With the exception of apprentice electricians, the act requires licensed electricians in all categories to obtain a certain number of training and continuing education hours each year.
C.S.S.B. 470 requires electrical apprentices not enrolled in a recognized apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education each year. The bill also requires that continuing education courses for all classes of licenses address electrical safety.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 2 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
C.S.S.B. 470 amends the Occupations Code to include safety in the topics that must be addressed in the required continuing education courses for renewal of a master electrician, journeyman electrician, master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, maintenance electrician, or residential wireman license. The bill requires an electrical apprentice license holder who is not enrolled in an apprenticeship training program to complete four hours of continuing education annually to renew the license and requires the courses that satisfy those requirements to address safety, the National Electrical Code, and state laws and rules regulating electricians. The bill authorizes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered program to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs.
C.S.S.B. 470 defines "apprenticeship training program."
C.S.S.B. 470 makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2009.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by defining "apprenticeship training program" as an electrical training program that is recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, registered with the United States Department of Labor, or is a competency-based standardized craft training program that meets the training program standards of the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship, whereas the original defines "apprenticeship training program" as a program recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that combines technical classroom instruction and structured on-the-job training for electrical apprentices.
C.S.S.B. 470 adds a provision not in the original authorizing the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules regarding the registration of apprenticeship training programs and to require registered programs to report the names of persons enrolled in the programs.
C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions applicable to the renewal of an electrical apprentice license that expires on or after September 1, 2010, whereas the original makes its provisions applicable to the renewal of such a license that expires on or after the original's effective date, which is March 31, 2010.
C.S.S.B. 470 differs from the original by making its provisions effective September 1, 2009, whereas the original makes its provisions effective March 31, 2010.