Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1325 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1325
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2019; March 7, 2019,
	3	+	read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs &
	4	+	Border Security; May 10, 2019, reported favorably by the following
	5	+	vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 10, 2019, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
4	9		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	10		AN ACT
6	11		relating to occupational licensing of certain military service
7	12		members, military veterans, and military spouses by state agencies
8	13		and political subdivisions.
9	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	15		SECTION 1. Section 55.001, Occupations Code, is amended by
11	16		amending Subdivisions (3) and (5) and adding Subdivisions (6-a) and
12	17		(6-b) to read as follows:
13	18		(3) "License" means a license, certificate,
14	19		registration, permit, or other form of authorization required by
15	20		law or a state agency or political subdivision rule that must be
16	21		obtained by an individual to engage in a particular business.
17	22		(5) "Military spouse" means a person who is married to
18	23		a military service member or military veteran.
19	24		(6-a) "Political subdivision" means a county,
20	25		municipality, special district, or other political subdivision of
21	26		this state.
22	27		(6-b) "Rule" includes an ordinance, order, or
23	28		regulation adopted by a political subdivision.
24	29		SECTION 2. Section 55.002, Occupations Code, is amended to
25	30		read as follows:
26	31		Sec. 55.002. EXEMPTION FROM PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO RENEW
27	32		LICENSE. A state agency or a political subdivision that issues a
28	33		license shall adopt rules to exempt an individual who holds a
29	34		license issued by the agency or political subdivision from any
30	35		increased fee or other penalty imposed by the agency or political
31	36		subdivision for failing to renew the license in a timely manner if
32	37		the individual establishes to the satisfaction of the agency or
33	38		political subdivision that the individual failed to renew the
34	39		license in a timely manner because the individual was serving as a
35	40		military service member.
36	41		SECTION 3. Section 55.003, Occupations Code, is amended to
37	42		read as follows:
38	43		Sec. 55.003. EXTENSION OF LICENSE RENEWAL DEADLINES FOR
39	44		MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS. A military service member who holds a
40	45		license issued by a state agency or political subdivision is
41	46		entitled to two years of additional time to complete:
42	47		(1) any continuing education requirements; and
43	48		(2) any other requirement related to the renewal of
44	49		the military service member's license.
45	50		SECTION 4. Section 55.004, Occupations Code, is amended to
46	51		read as follows:
47	52		Sec. 55.004. ALTERNATIVE LICENSING FOR MILITARY SERVICE
48	53		MEMBERS, MILITARY VETERANS, AND MILITARY SPOUSES. (a) A state
49	54		agency or political subdivision that issues a license shall adopt
50	55		rules for the issuance of the license to an applicant who is a
51	56		military service member, military veteran, or military spouse and:
52	57		(1) holds a current license issued by another
53	58		jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are
54	59		substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in
55	60		this state or the political subdivision, as applicable; or
56	61		(2) within the five years preceding the application
57	62		date held the license in this state or the political subdivision, as
58	63		applicable.
59	64		(b) The executive director of a state agency or the person
60	65		overseeing licensing of an occupation by a political subdivision
61	66		may waive any prerequisite to obtaining a license for an applicant
62	67		described by Subsection (a) after reviewing the applicant's
63	68		credentials.
64	69		(c) In addition to the rules adopted under Subsection (a), a
65	70		state agency or political subdivision that issues a license may
66	71		adopt rules that would establish alternate methods for a military
67	72		service member, military veteran, or military spouse to demonstrate
68	73		competency to meet the requirements for obtaining the license.
69	74		SECTION 5. Section 55.009, Occupations Code, is amended to
70	75		read as follows:
71	76		Sec. 55.009. LICENSE APPLICATION AND EXAMINATION FEES.
72	77		Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency or political
73	78		subdivision that issues a license shall waive the license
74	79		application and examination fees paid to the state or political
75	80		subdivision for an applicant who is:
76	81		(1) a military service member or military veteran
77	82		whose military service, training, or education substantially meets
78	83		all of the requirements for the license; or
79	84		(2) a military service member, military veteran, or
80	85		military spouse who holds a current license issued by another
81	86		jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are
82	87		substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in
83	88		this state or the political subdivision, as applicable.
84	89		SECTION 6. Section 55.010, Occupations Code, is amended to
85	90		read as follows:
86	91		Sec. 55.010. NOTICE OF CHAPTER PROVISIONS. (a) A state
87	92		agency that issues a license shall prominently post a notice on the
88	93		home page of the agency's Internet website describing the
89	94		provisions of this chapter that are available to military service
90	95		members, military veterans, and military spouses.
91	96		(b) The Texas Veterans Commission shall establish and
92	97		maintain an Internet website to serve as a single location for
93	98		military service members, military veterans, and military spouses
94	99		to access information regarding the issuance of a license by a state
95	100		agency to a military service member, military veteran, or military
96	101		spouse who is licensed in another jurisdiction.
97	102		SECTION 7. Not later than January 1, 2020, the Texas
98	103		Veterans Commission shall establish the Internet website required
99	104		by Section 55.010(b), Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
100	105		SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
101	106		an initial application for or an application for renewal of an
102	107		occupational license filed on or after the effective date of this
103	108		Act. An application for a license filed before the effective date
104	109		of this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that
105	110		date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
106	111		SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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