By: Schaefer, Guillen, Phelan, Morrison, H.B. No. 4296
King of Parker, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of plumbing, including the requirements
to obtain a tradesman plumber-limited license.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1301.002(10), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(10) "Tradesman plumber-limited license holder" means
a person who:
(A) has:
(i) completed at least 4,000 hours working
under the direct supervision of a journeyman or master plumber as a
plumber's apprentice; or
(ii) successfully completed a coherent
sequence of courses in the plumbing trade that are offered through a
career and technology education program, as described by Section
1301.3542;
(B) has passed the required examination;
(C) constructs and installs plumbing for
one-family or two-family dwellings under the supervision of a
responsible master plumber; and
(D) has fulfilled the other requirements of the
board.
SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 1301, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1301.3542 to read as follows:
Sec. 1301.3542. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR
TRADESMAN PLUMBER-LIMITED LICENSE; INSTRUCTORS. (a)
Notwithstanding Section 1301.354, a person who successfully
completes a coherent sequence of courses in the plumbing trade that
are offered through a career and technology education program under
Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, may apply for and take an
examination for a license as a tradesman plumber-limited license
holder. The board may not require the person to register as a
plumber's apprentice, pay any fee, or comply with Section 1301.354
or any other requirement of this chapter that applies to a person's
eligibility to apply for and take the examination.
(b) A student of any age enrolled in a high school is
eligible to take the sequence of courses described by Subsection
(a) without registering as a plumber's apprentice, paying any
registration fee, or complying with Section 1301.354 or
any other
requirement of this chapter that applies to enrolling or
participating in those courses.
(c) If an applicant described by Subsection (a)
successfully passes the examination for a license as a tradesman
plumber-limited license holder, the board shall issue the applicant
the license.
(d) The board shall develop the courses described by
Subsection (a). The courses must be approved by the State Board of
Education.
(e) The courses must include an appropriate number of hours
of classroom instruction and a practical component. The board may
credit on-the-job training toward meeting the requirements under
the practical component.
(f) A person may not provide instruction in a career and
technology education program described by this section unless the
person is licensed under this chapter as a master plumber,
journeyman plumber, or plumbing inspector.
(g) A person described by Subsection (f) may provide the
instruction in a full-time or part-time capacity as an employee,
contractor, or volunteer of a high school.
(h) The board may adopt rules necessary to implement this
section, including procedures to verify a student's successful
completion of the sequence of courses described by Subsection (a).
SECTION 3. Section 1301.401, Occupations Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 1301.401. ANNUAL RENEWAL REQUIRED; EXCEPTION. (a) A
license or registration under this chapter is valid for one year.
Except as provided by Subsection (c), on [On] payment of the
required fee, a license may be renewed annually.
(b) The board by rule may adopt a system under which
licenses, endorsements, and registrations expire on various dates
during the year.
(c) A person who is employed by, under contract with, or
engaged as a volunteer by a school to provide instruction in a
career and technology education program described by Section
1301.3542 and provides meaningful course instruction in the
program, as determined under rules adopted under Section 1301.407,
is not required to pay a fee to renew the person's license.
SECTION 4. Section 1301.404, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) A person who is employed by, under contract with, or
engaged as a volunteer by a school to provide instruction in a
career and technology education program described by Section
1301.3542 and provides meaningful course instruction in the
program, as determined under rules adopted under Section 1301.407,
may renew the person's license and any endorsement without
complying with Subsection (b) if the person completes the hours of
continuing professional education required by that subsection
every three years.
SECTION 5. Subchapter H, Chapter 1301, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1301.407 to read as follows:
Sec. 1301.407. PROCEDURES FOR VERIFYING CERTAIN
EXEMPTIONS. The board, in consultation with the State Board of
Education, may adopt rules as necessary to verify whether a person
qualifies for an exemption from the required renewal fee, as
described by Section 1301.401(c), or an exemption from required
continuing professional education, as described by Section
1301.404(g), including rules providing for obtaining and
evaluating written verification from the applicable school of the
person's provision of meaningful course instruction in a career and
technology education program described by Section 1301.3542.
SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners shall adopt
rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act to
Chapter 1301, Occupations Code.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.