By Barrientos                                         S.B. No. 1353
         76R7504 SMH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the regulation of the practice of software engineering.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  The Texas Engineering Practice Act (Article
 1-5     3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section
 1-6     12.2 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 12.2.  REGULATION OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING.  (a)  In this
 1-8     section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned
 1-9     by Section 61.003, Education Code.
1-10           (b)  The board may not regulate the practice of software
1-11     engineering until:
1-12                 (1)  the National Council of Examiners for Engineering
1-13     and Surveying or another organization approved by the board
1-14     develops an examination that the board determines is appropriate to
1-15     measure the qualifications of an applicant for a license as a
1-16     software engineer; and
1-17                 (2)  at least four institutions of higher education
1-18     have for three years offered an accredited degree program approved
1-19     by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation
1-20     Board for Engineering Technology, Inc., or another nationally
1-21     recognized accrediting organization approved by the board.
1-22           (c)  A person is not required to obtain a license to engage
1-23     in the practice of software engineering if the person is engaged in
1-24     that practice on  the date the board begins regulating that
 2-1     practice.
 2-2           (d)  The board may not regulate a program to certify a person
 2-3     as having expertise with regard to the software of a particular
 2-4     software manufacturer.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-10     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-11     passage, and it is so enacted.