| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 2453 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the issuance of a digital occupational license by a |
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| 6 | 6 | | state agency, county, or municipality. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding |
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| 9 | 9 | | Chapter 60 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | CHAPTER 60. DIGITAL LICENSES |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 60.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (1) "Licensing authority" means a state agency, |
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| 13 | 13 | | county, or municipality that is authorized to issue an occupational |
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| 14 | 14 | | license. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (2) "Occupational license" means a license, |
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| 16 | 16 | | certificate, registration, permit, or other form of authorization |
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| 17 | 17 | | required by statute, ordinance, order, or rule that must be |
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| 18 | 18 | | obtained by an individual to engage in a particular business, |
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| 19 | 19 | | occupation, or profession. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Sec. 60.002. REQUIREMENTS FOR DIGITAL LICENSES. A |
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| 21 | 21 | | licensing authority that issues an occupational license may issue a |
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| 22 | 22 | | digital license to a license holder. If the licensing authority |
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| 23 | 23 | | issues a digital license, the digital license must comply with the |
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| 24 | 24 | | following requirements: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) the digital license must be in a secure format and |
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| 26 | 26 | | readily accessible by the license holder through an Internet |
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| 27 | 27 | | website and on a wireless communication device; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) the public must be able to view a license holder's |
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| 29 | 29 | | digital license through an Internet website or by using a QR code as |
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| 30 | 30 | | defined by Section 443.001, Health and Safety Code; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) if the authority contracts with a vendor for the |
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| 32 | 32 | | issuance of a digital license, the digital license must be in a |
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| 33 | 33 | | format in which the vendor and authority can verify the validity of |
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| 34 | 34 | | the license. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 36 | 36 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 38 | 38 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2453 was passed by the House on April |
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| 39 | 39 | | 26, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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| 40 | 40 | | voting. |
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| 41 | 41 | | ______________________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 43 | 43 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2453 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Date |
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| 49 | 49 | | _____________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Governor |
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