Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1100 amends The Real Estate License Act to add contract law to the core courses required for real estate licenses. The Texas Real Estate Commission is authorized to establish procedures and set fees for license issuance, renewal, or return to active status before completion of required continuing education and to waive license requirements for applicants licensed within the last five years. The act requires, rather than authorizes, the commission to allow relevant experience or additional coursework as a substitute for certain prelicensing requirements and sets a limit on additional coursework that can be required. Additionally, a professional inspector seeking to sponsor an apprentice or real estate inspector is required to provide the commission with proof that the professional inspector has completed a minimum of 200 real estate inspections while licensed as a professional inspector.

            The fee for license examination applications is raised to $50. Senate Bill 1100 exempts certain partnerships or limited liability partnerships from the act and allows the commission to authorize its employees to file a complaint and investigate a licensee for improper conduct. A provision that allowed the commission to waive license requirements for residential locations is repealed. The provision establishing the minimum requirements for coursework in contract law takes effect January 1, 1998, and the remainder of the act takes effect September 1, 1997.