H.B. No. 1758
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the requirements for a plumber's apprentice to obtain a
  plumber's license.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1301.354, Occupations Code, is amended
  by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e)
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A person who has worked as a plumber's apprentice for a
  period established by law or board rule may apply to [for and] take
  an examination for a license as a journeyman plumber or tradesman
  plumber-limited license holder. Before the applicant may take the
  examination, the applicant must complete classroom training
  provided by a board-approved instructor in a board-approved
  training program in the areas of health and safety, applicable
  plumbing codes, and water conservation for at least:
               (1)  24 hours if the applicant is applying to take a
  tradesman plumber-limited license holder examination; or
               (2)  48 hours if the applicant is applying to take a
  journeyman plumber examination.
         (c)  At the applicant's request, the board may credit an
  applicant under Subsection (b) with up to 500 hours of the work
  experience required before taking an examination if the applicant
  has completed the classroom portion of a training program:
               (1)  approved by the United States Department of Labor,
  Office of Apprenticeship; or
               (2)  provided by a person approved by the board and
  based on course materials approved by the board.
         (d)  Notwithstanding the classroom training required by
  Subsection (b), a plumber's apprentice may apply for and take an
  examination for a license as a journeyman plumber or tradesman
  plumber-limited license holder if the apprentice has received an
  associate of applied science degree from a plumbing technology
  program that:
               (1)  includes a combination of classroom and on-the-job
  training; and
               (2)  is approved by the board and the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
         (e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a plumber's apprentice
  who is enrolled in good standing in a training program approved by
  the United States Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship,
  may take an examination without completing the classroom training
  required by Subsection (b)(1) or (2).
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  an application to take an examination submitted to the Texas State
  Board of Plumbing Examiners on or after the effective date of this
  Act. An application submitted before the effective date of this Act
  is governed by the law in effect on the date the application is
  submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the House on March
  31, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the Senate on May
  14, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor