By Brimer H.B. No. 2044 76R8109 MXM-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the registration of roofing contractors; providing 1-3 penalties. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the 1-6 Roofing Contractors Registration Law. 1-7 SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: 1-8 (1) "Advisory board" means the Roofing Contractors 1-9 Advisory Board. 1-10 (2) "Certificate" means a certificate of registration 1-11 issued under this Act. 1-12 (3) "Commercial roofing" means the exterior roof, 1-13 cover, or skin of the roof assembly consisting of membrane, metal 1-14 panels, sheets, shingles, tiles, slate, or other materials on any 1-15 building or structure other than residential buildings or 1-16 structures. 1-17 (4) "Commission" means the Texas Commission of 1-18 Licensing and Regulation. 1-19 (5) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of licensing 1-20 and regulation. 1-21 (6) "Person" means an individual, partnership, 1-22 corporation, or other legal entity. 1-23 (7) "Residential roofing" means any material applied 1-24 to the exterior roof framing, whether of wood or steel, on a 2-1 single-family home, duplex, triplex, or quadplex. 2-2 (8) "Roofing contracting" means performing or offering 2-3 to perform the installation, construction, maintenance, service, 2-4 repair, alteration, or modification of a roofing product or 2-5 equipment in roofs. 2-6 SECTION 3. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER. (a) The 2-7 commissioner shall enforce this Act and may adopt rules relating to 2-8 enforcement requirements. 2-9 (b) The commissioner shall prescribe application forms for 2-10 certificates and shall design the certificates. 2-11 (c) The commission shall publish annually a directory of 2-12 persons registered under this Act. The commission may sell the 2-13 directory for a reasonable fee. 2-14 (d) The commission may contract with another state agency or 2-15 with a political subdivision of the state for the enforcement of 2-16 this Act and the rules adopted by the commissioner under this Act. 2-17 SECTION 4. ADVISORY BOARD. (a) The Roofing Contractors 2-18 Advisory Board is created to advise the Texas Department of 2-19 Licensing and Regulation and the commissioner in adopting rules and 2-20 enforcing and administering this Act and to advise the commission 2-21 in setting fees. 2-22 (b) The advisory board is composed of six members appointed 2-23 by the commissioner who are experienced in roofing contracting. A 2-24 member shall hold office for a staggered term of two years, with 2-25 three terms expiring on February 1 of each year. 2-26 (c) The commissioner shall appoint the advisory board 2-27 members as follows: 3-1 (1) three members must be full-time registered roofing 3-2 contractors with at least 10 years' experience in roofing 3-3 contracting and must hold the following certificates issued under 3-4 this Act: 3-5 (A) one member must hold a commercial 3-6 certificate; 3-7 (B) one member must hold a residential 3-8 certificate; and 3-9 (C) one member must hold a commercial and a 3-10 residential certificate; and 3-11 (2) three members are representatives of the public 3-12 who must be familiar with roofing contracting and may include 3-13 individuals who work as architects, suppliers, manufacturers, or 3-14 consultants. 3-15 (d) The commissioner shall designate a member of the 3-16 advisory board to serve as presiding officer. 3-17 (e) The commissioner may remove an advisory board member for 3-18 inefficiency or neglect of duty in office. 3-19 (f) If a vacancy occurs on the advisory board, the 3-20 commissioner shall appoint a member who represents the same 3-21 interests as the former member to serve the unexpired term. 3-22 (g) The advisory board shall meet at least twice each year 3-23 at the call of the presiding officer and at a place designated by 3-24 the presiding officer. 3-25 (h) A decision of the advisory board is not effective unless 3-26 it receives the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the 3-27 members present. 4-1 (i) An advisory board member serves without compensation. 4-2 SECTION 5. CERTIFICATE REQUIRED. (a) Unless exempted from 4-3 registration under Section 11 of this Act, a person may not perform 4-4 roofing contracting without a certificate issued under this Act. 4-5 (b) A certificate issued under this Act is valid throughout 4-6 this state, and the holder is not required to hold a municipal 4-7 license or certificate to practice roofing contracting in any 4-8 municipality in this state. 4-9 SECTION 6. ROOFING CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATES. (a) Roofing 4-10 contractor certificates are of the following three classes and 4-11 entitle the certificate holder to perform the following services, 4-12 respectively: 4-13 (1) a Class I certificate entitles the certificate 4-14 holder to perform commercial and residential roofing services; 4-15 (2) a Class II certificate entitles the certificate 4-16 holder to perform only commercial roofing services; and 4-17 (3) a Class III certificate entitles the certificate 4-18 holder to perform only residential roofing services. 4-19 (b) The application must be made on a form prescribed by the 4-20 commissioner and must specify the class of certificate the 4-21 applicant seeks. 4-22 (c) To be eligible for a certificate, an individual 4-23 applicant must: 4-24 (1) be at least 18 years of age; and 4-25 (2) possess the following roofing contracting 4-26 experience: 4-27 (A) for a Class I certificate, three years; 5-1 (B) for a Class II certificate, two years; or 5-2 (C) for a Class III certificate, one year. 5-3 (d) An individual's application must be notarized and 5-4 accompanied by: 5-5 (1) proof of age of the applicant; 5-6 (2) a statement of the applicant's practical 5-7 experience, including the number of years of experience in roofing; 5-8 (3) the applicant's: 5-9 (A) state identification number, if any; 5-10 (B) sales tax number; 5-11 (C) Internal Revenue Service employer 5-12 identification number; 5-13 (D) telephone number; and 5-14 (E) mailing address and, if different from the 5-15 mailing address, the address where the applicant's business is 5-16 physically located; and 5-17 (4) the application fee. 5-18 (e) A business entity may be registered if the business 5-19 entity is owned by or employs an individual registered under this 5-20 Act who will actively engage in roofing contracting on behalf of 5-21 the applicant. An application under this subsection must be 5-22 notarized and accompanied by: 5-23 (1) the applicant's: 5-24 (A) state identification number, if any; 5-25 (B) sales tax number; 5-26 (C) Internal Revenue Service employer 5-27 identification number; 6-1 (D) telephone number; and 6-2 (E) mailing address and, if different from the 6-3 mailing address, the address where the applicant's business is 6-4 physically located; 6-5 (2) the form of the business entity and name of each 6-6 owner of the applicant; 6-7 (3) the name, address, telephone number, and signature 6-8 of the individual registered under this Act who owns or is employed 6-9 by the business entity; and 6-10 (4) the application fee. 6-11 (f) The business name used by an applicant under this 6-12 section must be the same on all documents included with the 6-13 application. 6-14 (g) Each applicant must submit the evidence of insurance 6-15 coverage required by this Act. 6-16 (h) A person may not make a material misstatement in an 6-17 application under this Act. 6-18 (i) The commissioner shall issue a certificate to a person 6-19 who qualifies for a certificate under this Act. 6-20 (j) A certificate issued under this Act is valid for one 6-21 year from the date of issuance. 6-22 SECTION 7. CONTINUING EDUCATION. To renew a certificate, a 6-23 certificate holder must complete eight hours of continuing 6-24 education annually. The commissioner shall recognize, prepare, or 6-25 administer a continuing education program for certificate holders 6-26 under this Act. 6-27 SECTION 8. INSURANCE REQUIREMENT. (a) A certificate holder 7-1 shall maintain general liability insurance coverage in the 7-2 following amounts: 7-3 (1) for a Class I certificate, $250,000 per 7-4 occurrence, with a minimum total aggregate of $500,000; 7-5 (2) for a Class II certificate, $250,000 per 7-6 occurrence, with a minimum total aggregate of $500,000; and 7-7 (3) for a Class III certificate, $100,000 minimum 7-8 total aggregate. 7-9 (b) Each applicant for a certificate, and each certificate 7-10 holder, on renewal of the certificate, shall provide to the 7-11 commissioner a document issued by the person's insurer that states 7-12 the following insurance policy information for that applicant or 7-13 holder: 7-14 (1) the name of the insurer; 7-15 (2) the policy number; 7-16 (3) the limits of coverage under the policy; 7-17 (4) the name of each insured under the policy; 7-18 (5) the policy term; 7-19 (6) any cancellation clause applicable to the 7-20 coverage; and 7-21 (7) a signature from the insurer or an agent for that 7-22 insurer. 7-23 SECTION 9. COMPLICITY. A person may not aid or abet a 7-24 person to violate this Act. 7-25 SECTION 10. DENIAL, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION OF 7-26 CERTIFICATE. (a) A violation of this Act or a rule adopted under 7-27 this Act is a ground for the denial, suspension, or revocation of a 8-1 certificate issued under this Act and a ground for the imposition 8-2 of an administrative penalty under Article 9100, Revised Statutes. 8-3 (b) A conviction of a crime an essential element of which is 8-4 misstatement, fraud, or dishonesty, or of a felony, is a ground for 8-5 denial, suspension, or revocation of a certificate. 8-6 (c) A proceeding for the denial, suspension, or revocation 8-7 of a certificate or an appeal from that proceeding is subject to 8-8 Chapter 2001, Government Code. The imposition of an administrative 8-9 penalty is subject to Article 9100, Revised Statutes. 8-10 (d) The commissioner may reissue a certificate of 8-11 registration that has been revoked under this section if the 8-12 certificate holder applies in writing to the commissioner and shows 8-13 good cause to justify reissuance. 8-14 SECTION 11. EXEMPTIONS. (a) This Act does not apply to a 8-15 person: 8-16 (1) while the person performs roofing contracting: 8-17 (A) on new residential construction of a 8-18 single-family home, duplex, triplex, or quadplex; 8-19 (B) under the direct supervision of an 8-20 individual certificate holder; 8-21 (C) on property owned by the person and used as 8-22 the person's residence; or 8-23 (D) on a dwelling owned by a member of the 8-24 person's family; 8-25 (2) who is registered and regulated as a manufacturer, 8-26 rebuilder, retailer, or installer under the Texas Manufactured 8-27 Housing Standards Act (Article 5221f, Vernon's Texas Civil 9-1 Statutes) while the person performs roofing contracting in the 9-2 building or installation of manufactured homes or in providing 9-3 retailer or manufacturer warranty services free of charge to the 9-4 consumer; or 9-5 (3) who is a maintenance engineer while the person 9-6 performs roofing contracting as an employee of the property owner, 9-7 the property lessee, or the management company managing the 9-8 property where the roofing contracting work is being performed. 9-9 (b) This Act does not restrict the practice of architecture 9-10 or engineering by a person licensed in this state to practice that 9-11 profession. 9-12 SECTION 12. ENFORCEMENT OF CONTRACTS. (a) A person who 9-13 performs roofing contracting without holding the appropriate 9-14 certificate under this Act may not collect a fee or otherwise 9-15 enforce a contract for the roofing service performed. To enforce a 9-16 contract for the performance of roofing contracting, the person 9-17 performing the service must present proof that the person held a 9-18 certificate under this Act at the time the contract was signed and 9-19 the work was performed. 9-20 (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules relating to the 9-21 manner in which proof may be presented under this section. 9-22 SECTION 13. OFFENSE; CRIMINAL PENALTY. A person commits an 9-23 offense if the person knowingly or intentionally engages in roofing 9-24 contracting without holding a certificate issued under this Act. 9-25 An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. 9-26 SECTION 14. INITIAL BOARD MEMBERS. In making the initial 9-27 appointments to the advisory board, the commissioner shall 10-1 designate three members for terms expiring on February 1, 2000, and 10-2 three members for terms expiring on February 1, 2001. An initial 10-3 board member appointed under Section 4(c)(1) of this Act is not 10-4 required to be registered under this Act until September 1, 2000, 10-5 but must be eligible for registration under this Act as of the time 10-6 of the initial appointment. 10-7 SECTION 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. (a) Except as provided by 10-8 Subsection (b) of this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 10-9 1999. 10-10 (b) Sections 5 and 13 of this Act take effect September 1, 10-11 2000. 10-12 SECTION 16. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 10-13 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 10-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 10-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 10-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.