AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, in order to obtain an electrician’s license in the State of Texas, an applicant completes a certain number of on-the-job training hours depending upon the type of license being sought.  Other types of electrician licenses require education and experience gained working directly with other licensed electricians.  Interested parties contend that experience and education obtained, as well as hours worked, doing electrical work in the military should be credited towards an application for an electrician’s license in the State of Texas.

 

H.B. 2029 directs the Texas Commission on Licensing and Regulation to credit experience, training, or education in electrical work obtained by a member of the armed forces of the United States, the Texas National Guard, or Texas State Guard while in service toward the requirements needed to obtain an electrician’s license in this state.

 

H.B. 2029 amends current law relating to the eligibility requirements for electrician licenses issued to applicants with military service.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 1 (Section 1305.1645, Occupations Code) and SECTION 2 of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 1305, Occupations Code, by adding Section 1305.1645, as follows:

 

Sec. 1305.1645.  APPLICANT WITH MILITARY SERVICE.  (a) Defines, in this section, "military."

 

(b) Requires the executive director of the Texas Commission on Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) to credit relevant experience, training, or education in electrical work that an applicant received while serving in the military toward the licensing requirements for a license issued under this chapter.

 

(c) Requires TCLR to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

 

SECTION 2.  (a) Provides that Section 1305.1645, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an application for a license filed on or after May 1, 2014.  Provides that an application for a license filed before May 1, 2014, is governed by the law in effect on the date the application was filed, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

 

(b) Requires TCLR to adopt rules under Section 1305.1645, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not later than March 1, 2014.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.