85R465 MAW-D
By: Huffines S.B. No. 845
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an occupational licensing database.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER J. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING DATABASE
Sec. 51.501. DEFINITIONS. Notwithstanding Section 51.001,
in this subchapter:
(1) "License" includes a certificate, registration,
permit, or other authorization that is issued by a licensing
authority.
(2) "Licensing authority" means a department,
commission, board, office, or other agency of the state that issues
a license.
Sec. 51.502. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING DATABASE. (a) The
department shall create and make accessible on an Internet website
maintained by the department an occupational licensing database as
provided by this section.
(b) The database must include with respect to each license
required by a licensing authority:
(1) the purpose for which the license is issued;
(2) the requirements, including the types and number
of hours of education and other training, necessary for an
applicant to receive the license;
(3) the estimated financial cost to an applicant in
obtaining the license, including the cost of fulfilling education
and training requirements and application fees; and
(4) the number of license holders.
(c) At least annually, the department shall update the
information in the database for each license, as appropriate.
(d) To the extent possible, the department shall present
information in the database in a manner that is searchable and
intuitive to users.
(e) The department may not charge a fee to the public to
access the database.
Sec. 51.503. REPORTING OF LICENSING INFORMATION TO
DEPARTMENT. Not later than February 1 of each year, a licensing
authority shall submit to the department, in a form and in the
manner prescribed by the department, a report containing the
information described by Section 51.502(b) and other information
specified by the department for the purpose of providing the
department with information to maintain the occupational licensing
database under Section 51.502.
SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Texas
Department of Licensing and Regulation shall make accessible to the
public the occupational licensing database required by Section
51.502, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.