BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 653 By: Galloway (Ogden) 5-16-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Texas law allows the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers to adopt reduced application fees for professional registered engineers who are at least 65 years of age. Disabled, non-practicing engineers often choose to remain registered in order to remain active in engineering associations and maintain standing as an engineer. Many of these engineers cannot afford the fee to maintain a license. PURPOSE S.B. 653 authorizes the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers to adopt reduced annual renewal and registration fees for certain engineers who are at least 65 years of age or who are disabled and not currently engaged in the active practice of engineering. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted to the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers in SECTION 1 and SECTION 2 of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 13(d), Article 3271a, V.T.C.S. (The Texas Engineering Practice Act), to authorize the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers (board), by rule, to adopt reduced registration fees for engineers who are at least 65 years of age. SECTION 2. Amends Section 13, Article 3271a, V.T.C.S., to authorize the board, by rule, to adopt reduced registration and annual fees for engineers who are disabled and not currently engaged in the active practice of engineering. Defines "disabled." Requires an engineer entitled to reduced fees to notify the board within 15 days of the resumption of active practice. SECTION 3. Amends Section 13B(c), Article 3271a, V.T.C.S., to make conforming changes. SECTION 4. Repealer: Section 13(d), Article 3271a, V.T.C.S. (Applications; Fees). SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 1995. Applicable to registration, annual renewal, or reciprocal registration fees paid to the Board that become due on or after effective date. A fee collected on or after that date, but due before date, is governed by law in effect. SECTION 6. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION SB 653 was considered in a Formal Meeting on May 16, 1995. The Chair laid out and explained the bill. There was no objection. Rep. Wilson moved that the full committee adopt SB 653, and that it be reported favorably to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion prevailed by the following vote: AYES: 7, NAYS: 0, ABSENT: 2.