By: Kuempel (Senate Sponsor - Estes) H.B. No. 1698
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2017;
May 4, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Business &
Commerce; May 21, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 21, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the licensing and regulation of a journeyman industrial
electrician.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1305.002, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subdivision (11-b) to read as follows:
(11-b) "Journeyman industrial electrician" means an
individual who engages in electrical work exclusively at a business
that operates a chemical plant, petrochemical plant, refinery,
natural gas plant, natural gas treating plant, pipeline, or oil and
gas exploration and production operation.
SECTION 2. Section 1305.102(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The commission [executive director] shall adopt rules
for the licensing of electricians, sign electricians, electrical
sign contractors, electrical contractors, journeyman industrial
electricians, 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 1305.1601 to read as follows:
Sec. 1305.1601. JOURNEYMAN INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICIAN. An
applicant for a license as a journeyman industrial electrician
must:
(1) have at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training
as a licensed electrical apprentice under the supervision of a
master electrician; and
(2) pass a journeyman industrial electrician
examination administered under this chapter.
SECTION 4. Section 1305.162, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an examination required
for a license as a journeyman industrial electrician under Section
1305.1601 may only test an applicant regarding activities performed
by a journeyman industrial electrician at a location described by
Section 1305.002(11-b).
SECTION 5. 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 industrial electrician, journeyman
lineman, or residential wireman license, the license holder must
complete four hours of continuing education annually.
SECTION 6. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Texas
Commission of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt rules as
required by Section 1305.102, Occupations Code, as amended by this
Act.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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