H.B. No. 2255
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of plumbing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1301.002, Occupations Code, is amended
by amending Subdivisions (1-a), (2), (3), and (4) and adding
Subdivision (1-b) to read as follows:
(1-a) "Control valve" means a valve that operates each
time water is supplied to, or shut off from, a receptacle or
plumbing fixture. The term does not include a stop valve that may be
installed in the water supply branch to the control valve.
(1-b) "Executive director" means the executive
director of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.
(2) "Drain cleaner" means a person who:
(A) has completed at least 4,000 hours working
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber as a drain
cleaner-restricted registrant;
(B) has fulfilled the requirements of and is
registered with the board; and
(C) installs cleanouts and removes and resets
p-traps to eliminate obstructions in building drains and sewers
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber.
(3) "Drain cleaner-restricted registrant" means a
person who:
(A) has worked as a plumber's apprentice under
the supervision of a responsible master plumber;
(B) has fulfilled the requirements of and is
registered with the board; and
(C) clears obstructions in sewer and drain lines
through any code-approved existing opening under the supervision of
a responsible master plumber.
(4) "Journeyman plumber" means a person licensed under
this chapter who:
(A) has met the qualifications for registration
as a plumber's apprentice or for licensing as a tradesman
plumber-limited license holder;
(B) has completed at least 8,000 hours working
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber;
(C) installs, changes, repairs, services, or
renovates plumbing or supervises any of those activities under the
supervision of a responsible master plumber;
(D) has passed the required examination; and
(E) has fulfilled the other requirements of the
board.
SECTION 2. Section 1301.151(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners consists of
nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent
of the senate as follows:
(1) one member who has at least 10 years' practical
experience and is licensed as a master plumber;
(2) one member who has at least five years' practical
experience and is licensed as a journeyman plumber;
(3) one member who has at least five years' practical
experience and is licensed as a plumbing inspector;
(4) one member who has been a responsible master
plumber for at least five years [is a plumbing contractor] with at
least 10 [five] years' experience as a licensed journeyman plumber
or master plumber;
(5) one member who is a licensed engineer practicing
in the field of plumbing engineering;
(6) two members who are building contractors with at
least five years' contracting experience, one of whom is
principally engaged in home building and one of whom is principally
engaged in commercial building; and
(7) two members who represent the public.
SECTION 3. Section 1301.202(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The board shall employ one or more plumbing examiners.
A plumbing examiner serves at the will of the board. A plumbing
examiner must:
(1) hold a license as a plumber issued under this
chapter;
(2) be knowledgeable of this chapter and municipal
ordinances relating to plumbing; and
(3) be qualified by experience and training in
plumbing practice.
SECTION 4. Section 1301.354(c), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) At the applicant's request, the board may credit an
applicant under Subsection (b) with up to 1,000 [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.
SECTION 5. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply
only to an application for a certificate of registration as a drain
cleaner or drain cleaner-restricted registrant submitted on or
after the effective date of this Act. An application for a
certificate of registration submitted before the effective date of
this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
application was submitted, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
(b) A person who holds a certificate of registration as a
drain cleaner or drain cleaner-restricted registrant issued before
the effective date of this Act may continue to renew that
certificate of registration without complying with the changes in
law made by this Act relating to the work requirement under the
supervision of a responsible master plumber.
(c) The change in law made by this Act applies only to an
application for a license as a journeyman plumber submitted on or
after the effective date of this Act. An application for a license
submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
(d) A person who holds a license as a journeyman plumber
issued before the effective date of this Act may continue to renew
that license without complying with the changes in law made by this
Act relating to the work requirement under the supervision of a
responsible master plumber.
SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act to Section
1301.151(a), Occupations Code, does not affect the entitlement of a
member serving on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
immediately before the effective date of this Act to continue to
serve as a member of the board for the remainder of the member's
term. The change in law applies only to a member appointed on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2255 was passed by the House on April
16, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 2255 on May 29, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 4,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2255 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor