Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB5629 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R15332 BEE-D
2	2	By: Wilson H.B. No. 5629
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the occupational licensing of military spouses.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Sections 55.004(a) and (d), Occupations Code,
12	12	are amended to read as follows:
13	13	(a) A state agency that issues a license shall adopt rules
14	14	for the issuance of the license to an applicant who is a military
15	15	service member, military veteran, or military spouse and:
16	16	(1) holds a current license issued by another
17	17	jurisdiction that:
18	18	(A) for a military service member or military
19	19	veteran, has licensing requirements that are substantially
20	20	equivalent to the requirements for the license in this state; and
21	21	(B) for a military spouse, is similar in scope of
22	22	practice to a license issued in this state; or
23	23	(2) within the five years preceding the application
24	24	date held the license in this state.
25	25	(d) A state agency that issues a license that has a
26	26	residency requirement for license eligibility:
27	27	(1) shall adopt rules regarding documentation
28	28	necessary for an applicant who is a military service member [or
29	29	military spouse] to establish residency for purposes of this
30	30	section [subsection], including by providing to the agency a copy
31	31	of the permanent change of station order for the applicant; and
32	32	(2) may not adopt rules requiring documentation for an
33	33	applicant who is a military spouse to establish residency for
34	34	purposes of this section [or the applicant's spouse].
35	35	SECTION 2. Section 55.0041, Occupations Code, is amended by
36	36	amending Subsections (a), (b), and (e) and adding Subsection (b-1)
37	37	to read as follows:
38	38	(a) Notwithstanding any other law:
39	39	(1)[,] a military service member [or military spouse]
40	40	may engage in a business or occupation for which a license is
41	41	required without obtaining the applicable license if the member [or
42	42	spouse] is currently licensed in good standing by another
43	43	jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are
44	44	substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in
45	45	this state; and
46	46	(2) a military spouse may engage in a business or
47	47	occupation for which a license is required without obtaining the
48	48	applicable license if the spouse currently holds a license similar
49	49	in scope of practice issued by another jurisdiction and is in good
50	50	standing with that licensing authority.
51	51	(b) Before engaging in the practice of the business or
52	52	occupation, the military service member [or military spouse] must:
53	53	(1) notify the applicable state agency of the member's
54	54	[or spouse's] intent to practice in this state;
55	55	(2) submit to the agency proof of the member's [or
56	56	spouse's] residency in this state in accordance with rules adopted
57	57	under Section 55.004(d) and a copy of the member's [or spouse's]
58	58	military identification card; and
59	59	(3) receive from the agency confirmation that:
60	60	(A) the agency has verified the member's [or
61	61	spouse's] license in the other jurisdiction; and
62	62	(B) the member [or spouse] is authorized to
63	63	engage in the business or occupation in accordance with this
64	64	section.
65	65	(b-1) Before engaging in the practice of the business or
66	66	occupation, the military spouse must:
67	67	(1) notify the applicable state agency of the spouse's
68	68	intent to practice in this state;
69	69	(2) submit to the agency a copy of the spouse's
70	70	military identification card; and
71	71	(3) receive from the agency confirmation that:
72	72	(A) the agency has verified the spouse's license
73	73	in the other jurisdiction; and
74	74	(B) the spouse is authorized to engage in the
75	75	business or occupation in accordance with this section.
76	76	(e) A state agency that issues a license shall adopt rules
77	77	to implement this section. The rules must establish a process for
78	78	the agency to:
79	79	(1) identify, with respect to each type of license
80	80	issued by the agency, the jurisdictions that:
81	81	(A) have licensing requirements that are
82	82	substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in
83	83	this state; or
84	84	(B) issue licenses similar in scope of practice
85	85	to a license issued in this state; and
86	86	(2) not later than the 30th day after the date a
87	87	military service member or military spouse submits the information
88	88	described by Subsection (b) or (b-1) [Subsections (b)(1) and (2)],
89	89	as applicable, verify that the member or spouse is licensed in good
90	90	standing in a jurisdiction described by Subdivision (1).
91	91	SECTION 3. Section 55.009, Occupations Code, is amended to
92	92	read as follows:
93	93	Sec. 55.009. LICENSE APPLICATION AND EXAMINATION FEES.
94	94	Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency that issues a license
95	95	shall waive the license application and examination fees paid to
96	96	the state for an applicant who is:
97	97	(1) a military service member or military veteran
98	98	whose military service, training, or education substantially meets
99	99	all of the requirements for the license; or
100	100	(2) either:
101	101	(A) a military service member or[,] military
102	102	veteran[, or military spouse] who holds a current license issued by
103	103	another jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are
104	104	substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in
105	105	this state; or
106	106	(B) a military spouse who holds a current license
107	107	issued by another jurisdiction that is similar in scope of practice
108	108	to a license issued in this state.
109	109	SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
110	110	of this Act, a state agency, as defined by Section 55.001,
111	111	Occupations Code, shall adopt, modify, or repeal the rules
112	112	necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.
113	113	SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
114	114	an application for a license filed with a state agency, as defined
115	115	by Section 55.001, Occupations Code, on or after the effective date
116	116	of this Act. An application for a license filed before the
117	117	effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
118	118	immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
119	119	continued in effect for that purpose.
120	120	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.