| 4 | 7 | | |
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| 5 | 8 | | |
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| 6 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 11 | | relating to the licensing and regulation of orthotists and |
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| 9 | 12 | | prosthetists. |
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| 10 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Section 605.254, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 15 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 16 | | Sec. 605.254. EXEMPTIONS FROM OR SUBSTITUTES FOR LICENSE |
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| 14 | 17 | | REQUIREMENTS. (a) The commission by rule may exempt a [A] person |
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| 15 | 18 | | [is entitled to an exemption] from one or more of the academic, |
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| 16 | 19 | | clinical training, or examination [the license] requirements |
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| 17 | 20 | | established under Section 605.252. |
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| 18 | 21 | | (b) To be eligible for an exemption under Subsection (a), |
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| 19 | 22 | | [if] the person must present [presents] evidence satisfactory to |
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| 20 | 23 | | the department that the person possesses unique qualifications to |
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| 21 | 24 | | practice orthotics, prosthetics, or orthotics and prosthetics. |
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| 22 | 25 | | (c) The department shall issue a license under Section |
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| 23 | 26 | | 605.256(b) to a person who: |
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| 24 | 27 | | (1) is determined to be eligible for an exemption [a |
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| 25 | 28 | | license] under this section from a requirement established under |
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| 26 | 29 | | Section 605.252; and |
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| 27 | 30 | | (2) meets all requirements provided under this |
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| 28 | 31 | | chapter, other than any requirement for which an exemption is |
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| 29 | 32 | | granted under Subdivision (1) [Subsection (a)]. |
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| 30 | 33 | | (d) A person holding a license for which an exemption was |
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| 31 | 34 | | granted under this section [to whom a license is issued under this |
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| 32 | 35 | | subsection] is entitled to the same license privileges as if the |
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| 33 | 36 | | person met all [the educational and vocational] requirements of |
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| 34 | 37 | | Section 605.252. The license holder is subject to the license |
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| 35 | 38 | | renewal requirements established by the commission, other than the |
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| 36 | 39 | | [academic, clinical training, and examination] requirements |
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| 37 | 40 | | exempted under this section, which the commission may not impose as |
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| 38 | 41 | | a condition of the person's license renewal. |
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| 39 | 42 | | SECTION 2. Section 605.254, Occupations Code, as amended by |
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| 40 | 43 | | this Act, applies only to a license application submitted on or |
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| 41 | 44 | | after the effective date of this Act. An application for a license |
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| 42 | 45 | | submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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| 43 | 46 | | law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the |
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| 44 | 47 | | former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 45 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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