1-1 By: Wentworth S.B. No. 444
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 23, 1993; February 23, 1993,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
1-4 April 21, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8,
1-5 Nays 0; April 21, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Parker x
1-9 Lucio x
1-10 Ellis x
1-11 Haley x
1-12 Harris of Dallas x
1-13 Harris of Tarrant x
1-14 Leedom x
1-15 Madla x
1-16 Rosson x
1-17 Shapiro x
1-18 Wentworth x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to extension of time for completion of and exception from
1-22 continuing education requirements for certain insurance agents.
1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-24 SECTION 1. Article 9.58, Insurance Code, is amended by
1-25 adding Section E to read as follows:
1-26 E. On written request of the licensee, the board may extend
1-27 the time for the licensee to comply with the requirements of this
1-28 article or may exempt the licensee from some or all of the
1-29 requirements for a licensing period if the board finds that the
1-30 licensee is unable to comply with the requirements because of
1-31 illness, medical disability, or another extenuating circumstance
1-32 beyond the control of the licensee.
1-33 SECTION 2. Section 3A, Chapter 213, Acts of the 54th
1-34 Legislature, 1955 (Article 21.07-1, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code),
1-35 is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
1-36 (c) On written request of the agent, the board may extend
1-37 the time for the agent to comply with the continuing education
1-38 requirements of this section or may exempt the agent from some or
1-39 all of the requirements for a licensing period if the board finds
1-40 that the agent is unable to comply with the requirements because of
1-41 illness, medical disability, or another extenuating circumstance
1-42 beyond the control of the agent.
1-43 SECTION 3. Section 7A, Chapter 407, Acts of the 63rd
1-44 Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 21.07-4, Vernon's Texas
1-45 Insurance Code), is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
1-46 follows:
1-47 (c) On written request of the adjuster, the board may extend
1-48 the time for the adjuster to comply with the continuing education
1-49 requirements of this section or may exempt the adjuster from some
1-50 or all of the requirements for a licensing period if the board
1-51 finds that the adjuster is unable to comply with the requirements
1-52 because of illness, medical disability, or another extenuating
1-53 circumstance beyond the control of the adjuster.
1-54 SECTION 4. Section 5b, Article 21.14, Insurance Code, is
1-55 amended to read as follows:
1-56 Sec. 5b. CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) The State Board of
1-57 Insurance shall adopt a procedure for certifying and shall certify
1-58 continuing education programs for agents. Participation in the
1-59 programs is mandatory for all agents licensed under this article.
1-60 The State Board of Insurance shall exempt agents who have been
1-61 licensed for <15 years or more beginning September 1, 1987; 16
1-62 years or more beginning September 1, 1988; 17 years or more
1-63 beginning September 1, 1989; 18 years or more beginning September
1-64 1, 1990; 19 years or more beginning September 1, 1991; and> 20
1-65 years or more on or after September 1, 1992, and shall have the
1-66 rulemaking authority to provide for other reasonable exemptions.
1-67 No agent shall be required to complete more than 15 hours of
1-68 continuing education per year. An agent licensed under both
2-1 Articles 21.07-1 and 21.14 of this code and any subsequent
2-2 amendments may elect to satisfy the continuing education
2-3 requirements of either article and shall not be required to
2-4 complete a total of more than 15 hours of continuing education per
2-5 year.
2-6 (b) On written request of the agent, the State Board of
2-7 Insurance may extend the time for the agent to comply with the
2-8 continuing education requirements of this section or may exempt the
2-9 agent from some or all of the requirements for a licensing period
2-10 if the board finds that the agent is unable to comply with the
2-11 requirements because of illness, medical disability, or another
2-12 extenuating circumstance beyond the control of the agent.
2-13 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
2-14 applies only to continuing education requirements for a licensing
2-15 period ending on or after January 1, 1994. Continuing education
2-16 requirements for a licensing period ending before January 1, 1994,
2-17 are governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective
2-18 date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
2-19 purpose.
2-20 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-25 * * * * *
2-26 Austin,
2-27 Texas
2-28 April 21, 1993
2-29 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-30 President of the Senate
2-31 Sir:
2-32 We, your Committee on Economic Development to which was referred
2-33 S.B. No. 444, have had the same under consideration, and I am
2-34 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
2-35 that it do pass and be printed.
2-36 Lucio,
2-37 Vice-Chairman
2-38 * * * * *
2-39 WITNESSES
2-40 FOR AGAINST ON
2-41 ___________________________________________________________________
2-42 Name: Rhonda Myron x
2-43 Representing: TDI
2-44 City: Austin
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