Texas 2023 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3743 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/21/2023

                    88R13319 MAW-F
 By: Goldman H.B. No. 3743


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;
 expanding authority to adopt fees.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 51.002, Occupations Code, as amended by
 Chapters 663 (H.B. 1560) and 850 (S.B. 713), Acts of the 87th
 Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is reenacted to read as
 follows:
 Sec. 51.002.  APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT.  The Texas
 Commission of Licensing and Regulation and the Texas Department of
 Licensing and Regulation are subject to Chapter 325, Government
 Code (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided
 by that chapter, the commission and the department are abolished
 September 1, 2033.
 SECTION 2.  Section 51.202(a), Occupations Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (a)  The commission shall set fees, in amounts reasonable and
 necessary to cover the costs of administering the programs or
 activities, for:
 (1)  licenses issued by the department;
 (2)  license renewals and late renewals;
 (3)  examinations; and
 (4)  any other program or activity administered by the
 department [for which a fee is authorized].
 SECTION 3.  Section 51.207(c), Occupations Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (c)  The commission by rule may require an applicant, license
 holder, or other person who regularly receives correspondence from
 the department to provide an [may satisfy any requirement under
 this chapter or another law governing a program subject to
 regulation by the department to provide notice by delivering the
 notice by] e-mail address to the department for purposes of
 receiving correspondence [to the recipient's last known e-mail
 address if the recipient has previously authorized the department
 to deliver the notice by e-mail].  An e-mail address used under this
 subsection is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
 Chapter 552, Government Code.
 SECTION 4.  Section 51.209, Occupations Code, is amended by
 adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
 (d)  Notwithstanding any other law, Chapter 2110, Government
 Code, does not apply to an advisory board established to advise the
 commission or department.
 SECTION 5.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is
 amended by adding Section 51.4014 to read as follows:
 Sec. 51.4014.  LICENSE APPLICATION FROM INMATE. (a)
 Notwithstanding any other law, the department may accept an
 application from an applicant who is an inmate imprisoned in the
 Texas Department of Criminal Justice except that the department may
 not issue the license until the applicant has been released.
 (b)  This section does not limit the ability of the
 department to determine or verify the applicant's eligibility for
 the license or to issue a provisional or restricted license in
 accordance with other law.
 SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.