By: Hancock S.B. No. 787
(Thompson of Harris)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a reduced occupational licensing fee for certain former
license holders.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 57, Occupations Code, is amended by
adding Section 57.003 to read as follows:
Sec. 57.003. REDUCED OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING FEE FOR CERTAIN
FORMER LICENSE HOLDERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a
state agency that issues a license shall adopt rules requiring the
agency to charge a reduced license application fee or reactivation
fee, as applicable, not to exceed one-third of the amount of the
usual fee, to an applicant who:
(1) in the two-year period preceding the date of the
application, became a parent by natural birth or adoption; and
(2) immediately before the birth or adoption, held an
active license of the same type for which the person is applying.
(b) Rules adopted under this section may require an
applicant to submit to the state agency an attestation or other
documentation relating to the child's birth or adoption.
SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2020, a state agency
to which Section 57.003, Occupations Code, as added by this Act,
applies shall adopt and implement the rules required by that
section.
SECTION 3. A state agency to which Section 57.003,
Occupations Code, as added by this Act, applies is required to
implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature
appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the
legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the state agency may, but is not required to, implement a
provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.