Bill Text: TX HB3701 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to occupational licensing of certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses by state agencies and political subdivisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-19 - Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures [HB3701 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3701-Introduced.html
By: Miller | H.B. No. 3701 |
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relating to occupational licensing of certain military service | ||
members, military veterans, and military spouses by state agencies | ||
and political subdivisions. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 55.001, Occupations Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subdivisions (3) and (5) and adding Subdivisions (6-a) and | ||
(6-b) to read as follows: | ||
(3) "License" means a license, certificate, | ||
registration, permit, or other form of authorization required by | ||
law or a state agency or political subdivision rule that must be | ||
obtained by an individual to engage in a particular business. | ||
(5) "Military spouse" means a person who is married to | ||
a military service member or military veteran. | ||
(6-a) "Political subdivision" means a county, | ||
municipality, special district, or other political subdivision of | ||
this state. | ||
(6-b) "Rule" includes an ordinance, order, or | ||
regulation adopted by a political subdivision. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 55.002, Occupations Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.002. EXEMPTION FROM PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO RENEW | ||
LICENSE. A state agency or a political subdivision that issues a | ||
license shall adopt rules to exempt an individual who holds a | ||
license issued by the agency or political subdivision from any | ||
increased fee or other penalty imposed by the agency or political | ||
subdivision for failing to renew the license in a timely manner if | ||
the individual establishes to the satisfaction of the agency or | ||
political subdivision | ||
that the individual failed to renew the | ||
license in a timely manner because the individual was serving as a | ||
military service member. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 55.003, Occupations Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.003. EXTENSION OF LICENSE RENEWAL DEADLINES FOR | ||
MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS. A military service member who holds a | ||
license issued by a state agency or political subdivision is | ||
entitled to two years of additional time to complete: | ||
(1) any continuing education requirements; and | ||
(2) any other requirement related to the renewal of | ||
the military service member's license. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 55.004, Occupations Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.004. ALTERNATIVE LICENSING FOR MILITARY SERVICE | ||
MEMBERS, MILITARY VETERANS, AND MILITARY SPOUSES. (a) A state | ||
agency or political subdivision that issues a license shall adopt | ||
rules for the issuance of the license to an applicant who is a | ||
military service member, military veteran, or military spouse and: | ||
(1) holds a current license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are | ||
substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in | ||
this state or the political subdivision, as applicable; [ |
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(2) within the five years preceding the application | ||
date held the license in this state or the political subdivision, as | ||
applicable; or[ |
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(3) holds a current license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction in the same occupation and at the same practice level. | ||
(b) The executive director of a state agency or the person | ||
overseeing licensing of an occupation by a political subdivision | ||
may waive any prerequisite to obtaining a license for an applicant | ||
described by Subsection (a) after reviewing the applicant's | ||
credentials. | ||
(c) In addition to the rules adopted under Subsection (a), a | ||
state agency or political subdivision that issues a license [ |
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must adopt rules [ |
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military service member, military veteran, or military spouse to | ||
demonstrate competency to meet the requirements for obtaining the | ||
license. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 55.009, Occupations Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.009. LICENSE APPLICATION AND EXAMINATION FEES. | ||
Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency or political | ||
subdivision that issues a license shall waive the license | ||
application and examination fees paid to the state or political | ||
subdivision for an applicant who is: | ||
(1) a military service member or military veteran | ||
whose military service, training, or education substantially meets | ||
all of the requirements for the license; [ |
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(2) a military service member, military veteran, or | ||
military spouse who holds a current license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are | ||
substantially equivalent to the requirements for the license in | ||
this state or the political subdivision, as applicable; or[ |
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(3) a military service member, military veteran, or | ||
military spouse who holds a current license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction in the same occupation and at the same practice level. | ||
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
an initial application for or an application for renewal of an | ||
occupational license filed on or after the effective date of this | ||
Act. An application for a license filed before the effective date of | ||
this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that | ||
date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |