S.B. No. 1200
AN ACT
relating to the authority of certain military spouses to engage in a
business or occupation in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is amended by
adding Section 55.0041 to read as follows:
Sec. 55.0041. RECOGNITION OF OUT-OF-STATE LICENSE OF
MILITARY SPOUSE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a military
spouse may engage in a business or occupation for which a license is
required without obtaining the applicable license if the spouse is
currently licensed in good standing by another jurisdiction that
has licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the
requirements for the license in this state.
(b) Before engaging in the practice of the business or
occupation, the military spouse must:
(1) notify the applicable state agency of the spouse's
intent to practice in this state;
(2) submit to the agency proof of the spouse's
residency in this state and a copy of the spouse's military
identification card; and
(3) receive from the agency confirmation that:
(A) the agency has verified the spouse's license
in the other jurisdiction; and
(B) the spouse is authorized to engage in the
business or occupation in accordance with this section.
(c) The military spouse shall comply with all other laws and
regulations applicable to the business or occupation in this state.
(d) A military spouse may engage in the business or
occupation under the authority of this section only for the period
during which the military service member to whom the military
spouse is married is stationed at a military installation in this
state but not to exceed three years from the date the spouse
receives the confirmation described by Subsection (b)(3).
(e) A state agency that issues a license shall adopt rules
to implement this section. The rules must establish a process for
the agency to:
(1) identify, with respect to each type of license
issued by the agency, the jurisdictions that have licensing
requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements
for the license in this state; and
(2) verify that a military spouse is licensed in good
standing in a jurisdiction described by Subdivision (1).
(f) In addition to the rules adopted under Subsection (e), a
state agency that issues a license may adopt rules to provide for
the issuance of a license to a military spouse to whom the agency
provides confirmation under Subsection (b)(3). A license issued
under this subsection must expire not later than the third
anniversary of the date the agency provided the confirmation and
may not be renewed. A state agency may not charge a fee for the
issuance of the license.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2019, a state agency
to which Section 55.0041, Occupations Code, as added by this Act,
applies, shall adopt rules to implement that section.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1200 passed the Senate on
April 30, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 25, 2019, by the
following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1200 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 144,
Nays 0, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor