Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB672 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R2152 MAW-D
2	2	By: Israel H.B. No. 672
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to certain information concerning an applicant for certain
8	8	occupational licenses.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 59, Occupations Code, is amended to read
11	11	as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 59. INFORMATION REGARDING LICENSE APPLICANT [RELATING TO
13	13	LICENSING]
14	14	Sec. 59.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
15	15	(1) "License" means a license, certificate,
16	16	registration, permit, or other authorization that:
17	17	(A) is issued by a licensing authority; and
18	18	(B) a person must obtain to practice or engage in
19	19	a particular business, occupation, or profession.
20	20	(2) "Licensing authority" means a department,
21	21	commission, board, office, or other agency of the state that issues
22	22	a license. The term includes the Supreme Court of Texas.
23	23	Sec. 59.002. IMMIGRATION STATUS OF APPLICANT. A licensing
24	24	authority may not consider the immigration status of an applicant
25	25	for a license in determining whether to issue or renew the license.
26	26	Sec. 59.003. TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. A licensing
27	27	authority that requires an applicant for a license to submit the
28	28	applicant's social security number shall accept as a substitute for
29	29	the social security number the applicant's individual taxpayer
30	30	identification number issued by the Internal Revenue Service.
31	31	Sec. 59.004. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION
32	32	[SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER]. (a) Except as provided by Subsection
33	33	(b), the [The] social security number or individual taxpayer
34	34	identification number of an applicant for or holder of a license[,
35	35	certificate of registration, or other legal authorization] issued
36	36	by a licensing authority [agency to practice in a specific
37	37	occupation or profession] that is provided to the licensing
38	38	authority [agency] is confidential and not subject to disclosure
39	39	under Chapter 552, Government Code.
40	40	(b) A licensing authority may share with a regulatory agency
41	41	of another state the individual taxpayer identification number of
42	42	an applicant for or holder of a license if:
43	43	(1) the licensing authority requires an applicant to
44	44	pass a national examination as part of the license eligibility
45	45	requirements; and
46	46	(2) a reciprocity agreement exists with the other
47	47	state.
48	48	SECTION 2. (a) Chapter 59, Occupations Code, as amended by
49	49	this Act, applies only to an application for an original or renewal
50	50	license submitted on or after February 1, 2016. An application
51	51	submitted before February 1, 2016, is governed by the law in effect
52	52	on the date the application was submitted, and the former law is
53	53	continued in effect for that purpose.
54	54	(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, each licensing
55	55	authority, as that term is defined by Section 59.001, Occupations
56	56	Code, as amended by this Act, shall adopt rules and prescribe forms
57	57	necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act to
58	58	Chapter 59, Occupations Code.
59	59	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.