Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3677 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R4982 JCG-D
2	2	By: Tepper H.B. No. 3677
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the issuance of an occupational license to certain
10	10	out-of-state applicants.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding
13	13	Chapter 61 to read as follows:
14	14	CHAPTER 61. LICENSING OF CERTAIN OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS
15	15	Sec. 61.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "license" means
16	16	a license, certificate, registration, permit, or other form of
17	17	authorization required by law or rule that must be obtained by an
18	18	individual to engage in a particular business or occupation.
19	19	Sec. 61.002. APPLICABILITY; EXCEPTION. (a) This chapter
20	20	applies only to the issuance of a license by any of the following
21	21	licensing authorities:
22	22	(1) Executive Council of Physical Therapy and
23	23	Occupational Therapy Examiners;
24	24	(2) Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas;
25	25	(3) Department of State Health Services;
26	26	(4) Health and Human Services Commission;
27	27	(5) State Board for Educator Certification;
28	28	(6) State Board of Dental Examiners;
29	29	(7) State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
30	30	(8) Supreme Court of Texas;
31	31	(9) Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification
32	32	Board;
33	33	(10) Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council;
34	34	(11) Texas Board of Architectural Examiners;
35	35	(12) Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners;
36	36	(13) Texas Board of Nursing;
37	37	(14) Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land
38	38	Surveyors;
39	39	(15) Texas Department of Insurance;
40	40	(16) Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;
41	41	(17) Texas Medical Board;
42	42	(18) Texas Optometry Board;
43	43	(19) Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners;
44	44	(20) Texas State Board of Pharmacy;
45	45	(21) Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners; and
46	46	(22) Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.
47	47	(b) This chapter does not apply to a license or other
48	48	authorization required for the establishment or operation of a
49	49	facility.
50	50	Sec. 61.003. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE TO CERTAIN OUT-OF-STATE
51	51	APPLICANTS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a licensing
52	52	authority described by Section 61.002(a) shall issue a license to
53	53	an applicant who pays any required fees and:
54	54	(1) holds a current license in good standing in
55	55	another state with a similar scope of practice, as determined by the
56	56	licensing authority;
57	57	(2) has held the license for at least one year;
58	58	(3) was required to pass an examination or meet other
59	59	experience, education, or training requirements to obtain the
60	60	license;
61	61	(4) does not have a disqualifying criminal history as
62	62	determined by the licensing authority;
63	63	(5) has not been subject to the revocation or
64	64	surrender of the license in any state due to unprofessional conduct
65	65	or while under investigation for unprofessional conduct in the
66	66	performance of work under the license;
67	67	(6) is not currently subject to ongoing discipline by
68	68	a regulatory agency in connection with the applicant's license,
69	69	including a probated suspension, limitation on scope of practice,
70	70	or program of additional monitoring; and
71	71	(7) is not currently the subject of a complaint or
72	72	investigation in the other state for an act that constitutes
73	73	unprofessional conduct or an offense.
74	74	(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), if the applicant
75	75	holds a license of similar scope in more than one state, each
76	76	license must be in good standing in each state.
77	77	(c) Before a license may be issued under Subsection (a), the
78	78	licensing authority must request and receive from the other state
79	79	confirmation that the applicant meets the requirements described by
80	80	Subsection (a)(3).
81	81	(d) An applicant for a license under this section may be
82	82	required to pass a jurisprudence examination specific to the
83	83	relevant laws of this state applicable to the activities for which
84	84	the license is sought if a similar examination is required to obtain
85	85	the license for all other applicants.
86	86	(e) Each licensing authority described by Section 61.002(a)
87	87	shall adopt rules to implement this section.
88	88	SECTION 2. (a) Each licensing authority to which Section
89	89	61.003, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, applies shall adopt
90	90	rules required by that section not later than January 1, 2026.
91	91	(b) Chapter 61, Occupations Code, as added by this Act,
92	92	applies only to an application for a license submitted to a
93	93	licensing authority to which that chapter applies on or after
94	94	January 1, 2026.
95	95	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.