By: Wentworth S.B. No. 444
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to extension of time for completion of and exception from
1-2 continuing education requirements for certain insurance agents.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Article 9.58, Insurance Code, is amended by
1-5 adding Section E to read as follows:
1-6 E. On written request of the licensee, the board may extend
1-7 the time for the licensee to comply with the requirements of this
1-8 article or may exempt the licensee from some or all of the
1-9 requirements for a licensing period if the board finds that the
1-10 licensee is unable to comply with the requirements because of
1-11 illness, medical disability, or another extenuating circumstance
1-12 beyond the control of the licensee. The criteria for such
1-13 exemptions and extensions shall be established by rule.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 3A, Chapter 213, Acts of the 54th
1-15 Legislature, 1955 (Article 21.07-1, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code),
1-16 is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
1-17 (c) On written request of the agent, the board may extend
1-18 the time for the agent to comply with the continuing education
1-19 requirements of this section or may exempt the agent from some or
1-20 all of the requirements for a licensing period if the board finds
1-21 that the agent is unable to comply with the requirements because of
1-22 illness, medical disability, or another extenuating circumstance
1-23 beyond the control of the agent. The criteria for such exemptions
1-24 and extensions shall be established by rule.
2-1 SECTION 3. Section 7A, Chapter 407, Acts of the 63rd
2-2 Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 21.07-4, Vernon's Texas
2-3 Insurance Code), is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
2-4 follows:
2-5 (c) On written request of the adjuster, the board may extend
2-6 the time for the adjuster to comply with the continuing education
2-7 requirements of this section or may exempt the adjuster from some
2-8 or all of the requirements for a licensing period if the board
2-9 finds that the adjuster is unable to comply with the requirements
2-10 because of illness, medical disability, or another extenuating
2-11 circumstance beyond the control of the adjuster. The criteria for
2-12 such exemptions and extensions shall be established by rule.
2-13 SECTION 4. Section 5b, Article 21.14, Insurance Code, is
2-14 amended to read as follows:
2-15 Sec. 5b. CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) The State Board of
2-16 Insurance shall adopt a procedure for certifying and shall certify
2-17 continuing education programs for agents. Participation in the
2-18 programs is mandatory for all agents licensed under this article.
2-19 The State Board of Insurance shall exempt agents who have been
2-20 licensed for <15 years or more beginning September 1, 1987; 16
2-21 years or more beginning September 1, 1988; 17 years or more
2-22 beginning September 1, 1989; 18 years or more beginning September
2-23 1, 1990; 19 years or more beginning September 1, 1991; and> 20
2-24 years or more on or after September 1, 1992, and shall have the
2-25 rulemaking authority to provide for other reasonable exemptions.
2-26 No agent shall be required to complete more than 15 hours of
2-27 continuing education per year. An agent licensed under both
3-1 Articles 21.07-1 and 21.14 of this code and any subsequent
3-2 amendments may elect to satisfy the continuing education
3-3 requirements of either article and shall not be required to
3-4 complete a total of more than 15 hours of continuing education per
3-5 year.
3-6 (b) On written request of the agent, the State Board of
3-7 Insurance may extend the time for the agent to comply with the
3-8 continuing education requirements of this section or may exempt the
3-9 agent from some or all of the requirements for a licensing period
3-10 if the board finds that the agent is unable to comply with the
3-11 requirements because of illness, medical disability, or another
3-12 extenuating circumstance beyond the control of the agent. The
3-13 criteria for such exemptions and extensions shall be established by
3-14 rule.
3-15 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
3-16 applies only to continuing education requirements for a licensing
3-17 period ending on or after January 1, 1994. Continuing education
3-18 requirements for a licensing period ending before January 1, 1994,
3-19 are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective
3-20 date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
3-21 purpose.
3-22 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.