By: Thompson of Harris (Senate Sponsor - Garcia) H.B. No. 796
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2013;
May 7, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Business
and Commerce; May 16, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0;
May 16, 2013, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 796 By: Watson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the licensing of a journeyman lineman.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1305.002, Occupations Code, is amended
by redesignating existing Subdivision (12) as Subdivision (11-a)
and adding a new Subdivision (12) to read as follows:
(11-a) [(12)] "Executive director" means the executive
director of the department.
(12) "Journeyman lineman" means an individual who
engages in electrical work involving the maintenance and operation
of equipment associated with the transmission and distribution of
electricity from the electricity's original source to a substation
for further distribution.
SECTION 2. Section 1305.102(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The executive director shall adopt rules for the
licensing of electricians, sign electricians, electrical sign
contractors, electrical contractors, journeyman linemen,
residential appliance installers, and residential appliance
installation contractors as prescribed by this chapter.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1305, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1305.1605 to read as follows:
Sec. 1305.1605. JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN. (a) An applicant for a
license as a journeyman lineman must:
(1) have at least:
(A) 7,000 hours of training in an apprenticeship
program approved by the United States Department of Labor; or
(B) 3-1/2 years of experience as a journeyman
lineman for an electric utility, electric cooperative, municipally
owned utility, or electrical contractor in this state; and
(2) pass a journeyman lineman examination
administered under this chapter.
(b) A journeyman lineman license is not required for:
(1) a person performing work exempt under Section
1305.003(a)(5); or
(2) a person who:
(A) is performing journeyman lineman work;
(B) possesses a journeyman electrician license;
and
(C) is employed by an institution of higher
education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code.
SECTION 4. Section 1305.168(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) To renew a master electrician, journeyman electrician,
master sign electrician, journeyman sign electrician, maintenance
electrician, journeyman lineman, or residential wireman license,
the license holder must complete four hours of continuing education
annually.
SECTION 5. (a) Not later than January 1, 2014, the
executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and
Regulation shall adopt rules regulating the licensing of a
journeyman lineman, as required by Section 1305.102, Occupations
Code, as amended by this Act.
(b) A person is not required to hold a license as a
journeyman lineman under Chapter 1305, Occupations Code, as amended
by this Act, before June 1, 2014.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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