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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to state occupational licensing of certain military |
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veterans and military spouses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a-1), (b-1), and (f) and adding Subsection |
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(i) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The commissioner may adopt rules establishing |
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exceptions to the examination requirements prescribed by |
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Subsection (a)(3) for an educator who is a military veteran or |
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military spouse or is from outside the state to obtain a certificate |
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in this state. |
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(b-1) The board shall propose rules in accordance with |
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Sections 55.005 and 55.006, Occupations Code, to establish |
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procedures to expedite the processing of an application for a |
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certificate under this section submitted by an educator who is a |
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military veteran or military [the] spouse [of a person who is |
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serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United |
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States], including rules for providing a permanent change of |
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station or military identification card [the appropriate |
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documentation to establish the educator's status as a spouse of a |
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person who is serving on active duty as a member of the armed forces |
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of the United States]. |
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(f) The board shall post on the board's Internet website the |
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procedures for obtaining a certificate under Subsection (a) and the |
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notice required under Section 55.010, Occupations Code. |
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(i) In this section: |
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(1) "Active duty" means current full-time military |
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service in the armed forces of the United States or active duty |
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military service as a member of the Texas military forces, as |
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defined by Section 437.001, Government Code, or similar military |
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service of another state. |
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(2) "Armed forces of the United States" means the |
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army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United |
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States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed |
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forces. |
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(3) "Military service member" means a person who is on |
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active duty. |
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(4) "Military spouse" means a person who is married to |
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a military service member. |
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(5) "Military veteran" means a person who has served |
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on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty. |
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SECTION 2. Section 55.004, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (a-1) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In adopting rules under Subsection (a), the state |
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agency shall ensure that a military veteran or military spouse |
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receives appropriate credit for the individual's experience, |
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including clinical and professional experience, in a licensed |
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profession. |
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(d) A state agency that issues a license that has a |
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residency requirement for license eligibility shall adopt rules to |
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allow a military spouse applicant to establish residency for |
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purposes of this subsection by providing to the agency a copy of the |
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permanent change of station order for the military service member |
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to whom the spouse is married or the spouse's military |
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identification card. |
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SECTION 3. Section 55.010, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.010. NOTICE OF CHAPTER PROVISIONS. (a) In this |
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section, "commission" means the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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(b) A state agency that issues a license shall prominently |
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post a notice on the home page of the agency's Internet website |
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describing the provisions of this chapter that are available to |
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military service members, military veterans, and military spouses. |
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(c) A state agency that issues a license under rules adopted |
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under Section 55.004 shall notify the commission immediately on |
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determining that the requirements of a license of this state are |
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substantially equivalent to those of another jurisdiction. |
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(d) The commission shall establish and maintain an Internet |
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website to serve as a single location for military veterans and |
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military spouses to access information regarding the issuance of a |
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license by a state agency to a military veteran or military spouse |
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who is licensed in another jurisdiction, including a list of each |
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license of this state and license of another jurisdiction that is |
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determined by a state agency to be substantially equivalent. |
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SECTION 4. Section 2, Chapter 1048 (H.B. 1934), Acts of the |
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85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than January 1, 2022, the Texas |
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Workforce Commission shall establish the Internet website required |
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by Section 55.010, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an initial application for or an application for renewal of an |
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occupational license filed on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. An application for a license filed before the effective date of |
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this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before that |
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date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |