| 1 | 1 | | 86R11425 JON-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lambert H.B. No. 3032 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to certain requirements for the issuance of an |
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| 8 | 8 | | occupational license to persons licensed in other jurisdictions. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 55. EXPEDITED AND ALTERNATIVE LICENSING OF CERTAIN |
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| 13 | 13 | | INDIVIDUALS [LICENSING OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, MILITARY |
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| 14 | 14 | | VETERANS, AND MILITARY SPOUSES] |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 16 | 16 | | designating Sections 55.001 through 55.003 and 55.005 through |
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| 17 | 17 | | 55.009 as Subchapter A and adding a subchapter heading to read as |
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| 18 | 18 | | follows: |
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| 19 | 19 | | SUBCHAPTER A. EXPEDITED LICENSING OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, |
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| 20 | 20 | | MILITARY VETERANS, AND MILITARY SPOUSES |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 3. Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 22 | 22 | | adding Subchapter B, and a heading is added to that subchapter to |
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| 23 | 23 | | read as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | SUBCHAPTER B. ALTERNATIVE LICENSING BASED ON SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR |
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| 25 | 25 | | LICENSING REQUIREMENTS |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 4. Sections 55.004 and 55.010, Occupations Code, |
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| 27 | 27 | | are transferred to Subchapter B, Chapter 55, Occupations Code, as |
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| 28 | 28 | | added by this Act, redesignated as Sections 55.101 and 55.102, |
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| 29 | 29 | | Occupations Code, and amended to read as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | Sec. 55.101 [55.004]. ALTERNATIVE LICENSING FOR |
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| 31 | 31 | | SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT LICENSES FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS |
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| 32 | 32 | | [MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, MILITARY VETERANS, AND MILITARY |
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| 33 | 33 | | SPOUSES]. (a) A state agency that issues a license shall adopt |
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| 34 | 34 | | rules for the issuance of the license to an applicant who [is a |
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| 35 | 35 | | military service member, military veteran, or military spouse and]: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) holds a current license issued by another |
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| 37 | 37 | | jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are |
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| 38 | 38 | | substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in |
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| 39 | 39 | | this state; or |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) within the five years preceding the application |
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| 41 | 41 | | date held the license in this state. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (b) The executive director of a state agency may waive any |
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| 43 | 43 | | prerequisite to obtaining a license for an applicant described by |
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| 44 | 44 | | Subsection (a) after reviewing the applicant's credentials. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (c) In addition to the rules adopted under Subsection (a), a |
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| 46 | 46 | | state agency that issues a license may adopt rules that would |
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| 47 | 47 | | establish alternate methods for an applicant [a military service |
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| 48 | 48 | | member, military veteran, or military spouse] to demonstrate |
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| 49 | 49 | | competency to meet the requirements for obtaining the license. |
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| 50 | 50 | | Sec. 55.102 [55.010]. NOTICE; REPOSITORY OF SUBSTANTIALLY |
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| 51 | 51 | | EQUIVALENT LICENSES [OF CHAPTER PROVISIONS]. (a) A state agency |
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| 52 | 52 | | that issues a license shall prominently post a notice on the home |
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| 53 | 53 | | page of the agency's Internet website describing the provisions of |
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| 54 | 54 | | this chapter that are available to military service members, |
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| 55 | 55 | | military veterans, and military spouses. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (b) A state agency that issues a license under rules adopted |
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| 57 | 57 | | under Section 55.101 shall notify the Texas Workforce Commission |
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| 58 | 58 | | immediately on determining that the requirements of a license of |
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| 59 | 59 | | this state are substantially equivalent to those of another |
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| 60 | 60 | | jurisdiction. |
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| 61 | 61 | | (c) The Texas Workforce Commission shall prominently post |
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| 62 | 62 | | on the commission's Internet website a list of each license of this |
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| 63 | 63 | | state and license of another jurisdiction that is determined by a |
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| 64 | 64 | | state agency to be substantially equivalent. |
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| 65 | 65 | | SECTION 5. (a) Section 55.101, Occupations Code, as |
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| 66 | 66 | | transferred, redesignated, and amended by this Act, applies only to |
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| 67 | 67 | | an application for a license filed with a state agency, as defined |
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| 68 | 68 | | by Section 55.001, Occupations Code, on or after March 1, 2020. An |
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| 69 | 69 | | application for a license filed before March 1, 2020, is governed by |
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| 70 | 70 | | the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
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| 71 | 71 | | and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 72 | 72 | | (b) Each state agency as defined by Section 55.001, |
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| 73 | 73 | | Occupations Code, shall adopt rules under Section 55.101, |
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| 74 | 74 | | Occupations Code, as transferred, redesignated, and amended by this |
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| 75 | 75 | | Act, not later than January 1, 2020. |
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| 76 | 76 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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