H.B. No. 3743

	AN ACT
	relating to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;
	expanding authority to adopt fees.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 51.002, Occupations Code, as amended by
	Chapters 663 (H.B. 1560) and 850 (S.B. 713), Acts of the 87th
	Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is reenacted to read as
	follows:
	Sec. 51.002.  APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT.  The Texas
	Commission of Licensing and Regulation and the Texas Department of
	Licensing and Regulation are subject to Chapter 325, Government
	Code (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided
	by that chapter, the commission and the department are abolished
	September 1, 2033.
	SECTION 2.  Section 51.202(a), Occupations Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  The commission shall set fees, in amounts reasonable and
	necessary to cover the costs of administering the programs or
	activities, for:
	(1)  licenses issued by the department;
	(2)  license renewals and late renewals;
	(3)  examinations; and
	(4)  any other program or activity administered by the
	department [for which a fee is authorized].
	SECTION 3.  Section 51.207(c), Occupations Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(c)  The commission by rule may require an applicant, license
	holder, or other person who regularly receives correspondence from
	the department to provide an [may satisfy any requirement under
	this chapter or another law governing a program subject to
	regulation by the department to provide notice by delivering the
	notice by] e-mail address to the department for purposes of
	receiving correspondence [to the recipient's last known e-mail
	address if the recipient has previously authorized the department
	to deliver the notice by e-mail].  An e-mail address used under this
	subsection is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
	Chapter 552, Government Code.
	SECTION 4.  Section 51.209, Occupations Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
	(d)  Notwithstanding any other law, Chapter 2110, Government
	Code, does not apply to an advisory board established to advise the
	commission or department.
	SECTION 5.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 51.4014 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.4014.  LICENSE APPLICATION FROM INMATE. (a)
	Notwithstanding any other law, the department may accept an
	application from an applicant who is an inmate imprisoned in the
	Texas Department of Criminal Justice except that the department may
	not issue the license until the applicant has been released.
	(b)  This section does not limit the ability of the
	department to determine or verify the applicant's eligibility for
	the license or to issue a provisional or restricted license in
	accordance with other law.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 3743 was passed by the House on May 4,
	2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 139, Nays 2, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 3743 was passed by the Senate on May
	21, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays 3.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor