By: Armbrister S.B. No. 137
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the continuing education of plumbers.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. The Plumbing License Law (Article 6243-101,
1-4 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 12B to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 12B. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION. (a) A person
1-7 holding a license under this Act must complete at least six hours
1-8 of continuing professional education each license year. Three of
1-9 the six hours required must be in the subjects of health
1-10 protection, energy conservation, and water conservation.
1-11 (b) The Board by rule shall adopt the criteria for
1-12 continuing professional education acceptable under this section.
1-13 (c) For a person to receive credit for participation in a
1-14 continuing professional education program or course, the program or
1-15 course must have been provided according to the criteria adopted by
1-16 the Board by an individual, business, or association approved by
1-17 the Board.
1-18 (d) A person holding a license under this Act who lives in a
1-19 county having no city with a population in excess of 100,000 may
1-20 fulfill the continuing professional education requirement of this
1-21 section through a correspondence course.
1-22 (e) The Board by rule may adopt exemptions from the
1-23 requirements of this section for certain persons holding a license
1-24 under this Act if the Board finds that exempting these persons from
2-1 the continuing education requirements of this Act is in the public
2-2 interest.
2-3 SECTION 2. Subsections (b), (c), and (d), Section 12, The
2-4 Plumbing License Law (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil
2-5 Statutes), are amended to read as follows:
2-6 (b) A person who has complied with the continuing education
2-7 requirement of Section 12B of this Act may renew an unexpired
2-8 license by paying the required renewal fee to the Board before the
2-9 expiration date of the license.
2-10 (c) A person who has complied with the continuing education
2-11 requirement of Section 12B of this Act and whose <if a person's>
2-12 license has been expired for 90 days or less<, the person> may
2-13 renew the license by paying to the Board the required renewal fee
2-14 and a fee that is one-half of the examination fee for the license.
2-15 (d) A person who has complied with the continuing education
2-16 requirement of Section 12B of this Act and whose <If a person's>
2-17 license has been expired for longer than 90 days but less than two
2-18 years<, the person> may renew the license by paying to the Board
2-19 all unpaid renewal fees and a fee that is equal to the examination
2-20 fee for the license.
2-21 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
2-22 applies only to the renewal of a license after August 31, 1994.
2-23 The renewal of a license before September 1, 1993, is governed by
2-24 the law in effect immediately before September 1, 1993, and the
2-25 former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-26 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-27 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-4 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
3-5 terms, and it is so enacted.