By:  Smith, Dalton                                     H.B. No. 305
       73R942 CBH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the application of certain professional fees and taxes.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 3.11A, Medical Practice Act (Article
    1-5  4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
    1-6  Subsection (c) to read as follows:
    1-7        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
    1-8  to:
    1-9              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   1-10              (2)  a person who is a retired physician and who is
   1-11  exempt from the annual registration fee.
   1-12        SECTION 2.  Article 4550c, Revised Statutes, is amended by
   1-13  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
   1-14        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   1-15  to:
   1-16              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   1-17              (2)  a person on retired status.
   1-18        SECTION 3.  Section 3.03B, Texas Optometry Act (Article
   1-19  4552-3.03B, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
   1-20  Subsection (c) to read as follows:
   1-21        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   1-22  to:
   1-23              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   1-24              (2)  a person who does not practice optometry or
    2-1  therapeutic optometry in this state and who is exempt from the
    2-2  continuing education requirements.
    2-3        SECTION 4.  Section 11B, Chapter 94, Acts of the 51st
    2-4  Legislature, Regular Session, 1949 (Article 4512b, Vernon's Texas
    2-5  Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
    2-6  follows:
    2-7        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
    2-8  to:
    2-9              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   2-10              (2)  a person on inactive status.
   2-11        SECTION 5.  Section 16B, Psychologists' Certification and
   2-12  Licensing Act (Article 4512c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
   2-13  amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
   2-14        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   2-15  to:
   2-16              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   2-17              (2)  a person whose certificate or license has been
   2-18  placed on inactive status.
   2-19        SECTION 6.  Section 9A, Public Accountancy Act of 1991
   2-20  (Article 41a-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
   2-21  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
   2-22        (d)  A fee increase imposed by Subsection (a) of this section
   2-23  and the fee imposed under Subsection (b) of this section do not
   2-24  apply to:
   2-25              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   2-26              (2)  a person who does not practice accountancy because
   2-27  of retirement and who pays a reduced license fee for an initial or
    3-1  renewal license.
    3-2        SECTION 7.  Section 4C, Chapter 478, Acts of the 45th
    3-3  Legislature, Regular Session, 1937 (Article 249a, Vernon's Texas
    3-4  Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
    3-5  follows:
    3-6        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
    3-7  to:
    3-8              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
    3-9              (2)  a person who is an approved Emeritus architect.
   3-10        SECTION 8.  Section 13B, The Texas Engineering Practice Act
   3-11  (Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
   3-12  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
   3-13        (d)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   3-14  to:
   3-15              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   3-16              (2)  a person who does not practice engineering, as
   3-17  provided by rules adopted by the Board.
   3-18        SECTION 9.  Section 11A, The Real Estate License Act (Article
   3-19  6573a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding
   3-20  Subsection (c) to read as follows:
   3-21        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   3-22  to:
   3-23              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   3-24              (2)  a person on inactive status.
   3-25        SECTION 10.  Section 41, The Securities Act (Article 581-41,
   3-26  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection (c)
   3-27  to read as follows:
    4-1        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
    4-2  to:
    4-3              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
    4-4              (2)  a person who does not practice in this state as a
    4-5  dealer, seller, officer, or salesman within the scope of this Act,
    4-6  as provided by rules adopted by the Board.
    4-7        SECTION 11.  Section 22, The Veterinary Licensing Act
    4-8  (Article 8890, Revised Statutes), is amended by adding Subsection
    4-9  (c) to read as follows:
   4-10        (c)  A fee increase imposed by this section does not apply
   4-11  to:
   4-12              (1)  a person who is 65 years of age or older; or
   4-13              (2)  a person on retired status.
   4-14        SECTION 12.  Section 191.144, Tax Code, is amended to read as
   4-15  follows:
   4-16        Sec. 191.144.  EXEMPTIONS.  The tax imposed by this
   4-17  subchapter does not apply to:
   4-18              (1)  an attorney who is 65 <70> years of age or older;
   4-19  or
   4-20              (2)  an attorney who has assumed inactive status under
   4-21  rules governing the licensing of attorneys in this state.
   4-22        SECTION 13.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
   4-23  to a fee or tax imposed on or after the effective date of this Act.
   4-24        SECTION 14.  The importance of this legislation and the
   4-25  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   4-26  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   4-27  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    5-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    5-2  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    5-3  passage, and it is so enacted.