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