Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 1508 amends provisions of the Occupations Code relating to the licensing of real estate brokers, salespersons, and inspectors. The bill increases fees for an original application for a salesperson license and for preparing a license or registration history and imposes a fee of up to $40 for approval of an instructor of core real estate or continuing education courses. The bill clarifies the requirements for issuance of an inactive salesperson license and exempts from fees a request to change an inactive salesperson's license to active status and a request by a broker to sponsor that salesperson. The bill authorizes the Texas Real Estate Commission to require all brokers, salespersons, and inspectors to display certain information on their Internet websites in order to comply with public notice requirements. The bill replaces the term "face-to-face meeting" with the term "substantive dialogue" in reference to a discussion relating to specific real property and amends the definition of the term to include written as well as in-person communication. The bill places some restrictions on the location of a hearing for the suspension or revocation of a broker or salesperson license or certificate of registration based on the nature of the violation. The bill authorizes the commission to extend the term of an inspector license from one year to up to 24 months, increases from 60 to 320 the maximum classroom hours of certain courses that may be required of inspector license applicants as a substitute for relevant experience or additional education, and requires an applicant for a professional inspector license to provide the commission with proof of the individual's integrity and competence. The bill removes a provision that requires a broker who intends to sponsor an applicant to jointly file the application and repeals provisions requiring the display of broker and salesperson licenses in a broker's place of business.