BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2029

By: Turner, Chris

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

An applicant for an electrician license in Texas currently must complete a certain number of on-the-job training hours depending on the type of license sought by the applicant, while other types of electrician licenses require experience and education 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 license in Texas.  H.B. 2029 seeks to address these concerns by facilitating licensure of applicants with military service.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTIONS 1 and 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2029 amends the Occupations Code to require the executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to credit relevant experience, training, or education in electrical work that an applicant received in the U.S. military, the Texas National Guard, or the Texas State Guard toward the licensing requirements for a license issued under the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act.  The bill applies only to an application for a license filed on or after May 1, 2014 and requires the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, not later than March 1, 2014, to adopt rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.