Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB11 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~89R21130~~ DNC-F
	1	+	89R8589 DNC-F
2	2		By: Phelan H.B. No. 11
3		-	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 11:
4		-	By: Hernandez C.S.H.B. No. 11
5	3
6	4
7	5
8	6
9	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
10	8		AN ACT
11		-	relating to licensing reciprocity agreements entered into by the
12		-	Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
	9	+	relating to occupational licensing reciprocity agreements.
13	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14		-	SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is amended by
15		-	adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
16		-	SUBCHAPTER K. LICENSING RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS
17		-	Sec. 51.551. GOALS FOR LICENSING RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS.
18		-	(a) The department shall maximize licensing reciprocity
19		-	agreements, with respect to licenses issued by the department, to
20		-	the extent allowed by law.
21		-	(b) The department shall identify state laws that prevent
22		-	the department from entering into a reciprocity agreement with a
	11	+	SECTION 1. Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding
	12	+	Chapter 61 to read as follows:
	13	+	CHAPTER 61. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS
	14	+	Sec. 61.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	15	+	(1) "Licensing authority" means a department,
	16	+	commission, board, office, or other agency of this state that
	17	+	issues or renews an occupational license.
	18	+	(2) "Occupational license" means a license, permit,
	19	+	registration, certificate, or other form of authorization that must
	20	+	be obtained by an individual to engage in a business, occupation, or
	21	+	profession.
	22	+	Sec. 61.002. GOAL FOR OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING RECIPROCITY
	23	+	AGREEMENTS. Each licensing authority shall:
	24	+	(1) maximize occupational licensing reciprocity
	25	+	agreements to the extent allowed by law; and
	26	+	(2) identify state laws that prevent the licensing
	27	+	authority from entering into a reciprocity agreement with a
23	28		licensing authority in another state.
24		-	Sec. 51.~~552~~. RULES. ~~The commission~~ shall adopt ~~rules~~
25		-	necessary to implement this ~~subchapter~~. The rules must ~~establish~~
26		-	procedures for:
27		-	(1) ~~the department to~~ determine whether the licensing
28		-	~~requirements of~~ another state are substantially equivalent to the
29		-	~~requirements of~~ this state, taking into consideration:
	29	+	Sec. 61.003. RULES. A licensing authority shall adopt
	30	+	rules necessary to implement this chapter. The rules must
	31	+	establish procedures for the licensing authority to:
	32	+	(1) determine whether the licensing requirements of
	33	+	another state are substantially equivalent to the requirements of
	34	+	this state, taking into consideration:
30	35		(A) the level of required training and testing to
31	36		obtain a license, including methods used to evaluate work
32	37		experience to fulfill training or testing requirements;
33	38		(B) the scope of practice for which the license
34	39		is issued; and
35	40		(C) the procedures used in the other state to
36	41		resolve complaints and to determine whether a license holder is in
37	42		good standing; and
38		-	(2) the department to enter into and implement
39		-	reciprocity agreements with licensing authorities in other states
40		-	that have licensing requirements substantially equivalent to this
41		-	state's requirements.
42		-	Sec. 51.553. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each
43		-	odd-numbered year, the department shall submit to the governor and
44		-	the Legislative Budget Board a written report that:
45		-	(1) summarizes the department's efforts under Section
46		-	51.551, including a description of the extent to which this state's
47		-	licensing requirements exceed the requirements of other states;
48		-	(2) describes the department's efforts to enter into
49		-	reciprocity agreements with licensing authorities in other states,
50		-	including a list of:
	43	+	(2) enter into and implement reciprocity agreements
	44	+	with licensing authorities in other states that have occupational
	45	+	licensing requirements substantially equivalent to this state's
	46	+	requirements.
	47	+	Sec. 61.004. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each
	48	+	odd-numbered year, each licensing authority shall submit to the
	49	+	governor and the Legislative Budget Board a written report that:
	50	+	(1) summarizes the licensing authority's efforts under
	51	+	Section 61.002, including a description of the extent to which this
	52	+	state's licensing requirements exceed the requirements of other
	53	+	states;
	54	+	(2) describes the licensing authority's efforts to
	55	+	enter into reciprocity agreements with licensing authorities in
	56	+	other states, including a list of:
51	57		(A) each reciprocity agreement entered into; and
52	58		(B) any unsuccessful effort to enter into a
53	59		reciprocity agreement with a licensing authority of another state;
54	60		and
55	61		(3) recommends any legislative action that is
56		-	necessary or appropriate to increase the number of ~~license~~
57		-	reciprocity agreements as directed by this ~~subchapter~~, ~~including~~
58		-	any reduction of this state's licensing requirements that ~~would~~
59		-	make more reciprocity agreements possible.
60		-	SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, ~~the Texas~~
61		-	~~Commission of Licensing and Regulation~~ shall adopt the rules
62		-	~~required by Section 51.552,~~ Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
63		-	SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 51.~~553~~, Occupations
64		-	Code, as added by this Act, ~~the Texas Department of~~ Licensing ~~and~~
65		-	~~Regulation shall submit the~~ initial report required by that section
66		-	~~not later than December 1,~~ 2027.
	62	+	necessary or appropriate to increase the number of occupational
	63	+	license reciprocity agreements as directed by this chapter,
	64	+	including any reduction of this state's licensing requirements that
	65	+	would make more reciprocity agreements possible.
	66	+	SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, each licensing
	67	+	authority shall adopt the rules required by Section 61.003,
	68	+	Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
	69	+	SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 61.004, Occupations
	70	+	Code, as added by this Act, a licensing authority shall submit the
	71	+	initial report required by that section not later than December 1,
	72	+	2027.
67	73		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
68	74		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
69	75		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
70	76		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
71	77		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.