Amend SB 187 as follows:
(1) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 2054.251,
Government Code, between Subdivisions (2) and (3) (House Committee
Printing page 1, between lines 11 and 12), insert the following:
(3) "Licensing authority" means a department,
commission, board, office, or other agency of the state or a
political subdivision of the state that issues an occupational
license.
(2) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 2054.251(3),
Government Code (House Committee Printing page 1, line 12), strike
"(3)" and substitute "(4)".
(3) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 2054.251,
Government Code, between Subdivisions (3) and (4) (House Committee
Printing page 1, between lines 14 and 15), insert the following:
(5) "Occupational license" means a license,
certificate, registration, or other form of authorization that a
person must obtain to practice or engage in a particular business,
occupation, or profession.
(4) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 2054.251(4),
Government Code (House Committee Printing page 1, line 15), strike
"(4)" and substitute "(6)".
(5) In SECTION 1 of the bill, strike the section heading and
Subsection (a) of added Section 2054.252, Government Code (House
Committee Printing page 1 line 17, through page 2, line 9), and
substitute the following:
Sec. 2054.252. TEXASONLINE PROJECT. (a) The authority shall
implement a project designated "Texas Online" that establishes a
common electronic infrastructure through which state agencies and
local governments, including licensing authorities, may
electronically:
(1) send and receive documents or required payments to
and from:
(A) members of the public;
(B) persons who are regulated by the agencies or
local governments; and
(C) the agencies and local governments;
(2) receive applications for original and renewal
licenses and permits, including occupational licenses, complaints
about occupational license holders, and other documents for filing
from members of the public and persons who are regulated by a state
agency or local government that, when secure access is necessary,
can be electronically validated by the agency, local government,
member of the public, or regulated person;
(3) send original and renewal occupational licenses to
persons regulated by licensing authorities;
(4) send profiles of occupational license holders to
persons regulated by licensing authorities and to the public;
(5) store information; and
(6) provide and receive any other service to and from
the agencies and local governments or the public.
(6) In SECTION 1 of the bill, at the end of added Section
2054.252, Government Code (House Committee Printing page 2, between
lines 12 and 13), insert the following:
(c) The authority may implement this section in phases.
Each state agency or local government that chooses to participate
in the project and each licensing authority shall comply with the
schedule established by the authority.
(d) The authority may contract with a private vendor to
implement this section.
(e) The authority shall charge fees to licensing authorities
in amounts sufficient to cover the cost of implementing this
section with respect to licensing authorities. The authority shall
charge a subscription fee to be paid by each licensing authority.
(f) The authority, in cooperation with the Legislative
Budget Board, may exempt a licensing authority from subscription
fees under Subsection (e) if the authority determines that the
licensing authority has established an Internet portal that is
performing the functions described by Subsection (a).
(g) The amount of a subscription fee under Subsection (e)
must be approved by the Legislative Budget Board.
(h) Each licensing authority shall increase the occupational
license renewal fees imposed by the licensing authority by an
amount sufficient to cover the cost of the subscription fee imposed
on the licensing authority under Subsection (e) but not to exceed:
(1) $5 for an occupational license that is required to
be renewed annually; or
(2) $10 for an occupational license that is required
to be renewed biennially.
(7) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 2054.260,
Government Code (House Committee Printing page 5, line 7), between
"REQUIREMENTS" and the period, insert ": AUTHORITY".
(8) In SECTION 1 of the bill, between added Sections
2054.260 and 2054.261, Government Code (House Committee Printing
page 5, between lines 22 and 23), insert the following:
Sec. 2054.2605. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: LICENSING
AUTHORITIES. (a) Each licensing authority shall report to the
Legislative Budget Board on the licensing authority's progress in
using the project in performing the functions described by Section
2054.252(a).
(b) This section applies only to a licensing authority for
which the licensing authority has begun implementation of the
project under the schedule established by the Texas Online
Authority.
(c) A report required by this section shall be submitted
every six months according to a reporting schedule established by
the Legislative Budget Board.
Sec. 2054.2606. REPORTING PROFILE INFORMATION. (a) The
following licensing authorities shall establish a profile system
consisting of the specific license holder information prescribed by
Subsection (c):
(1) Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, with
respect to chiropractors;
(2) Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners,
with respect to podiatrists;
(3) State Board of Dental Examiners, with respect to
dentists;
(4) Texas Optometry Board, with respect to
optometrists and therapeutic optometrists;
(5) Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, with
respect to physical therapists and physical therapy facilities;
(6) Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners,
with respect to occupational therapists and occupational therapy
facilities;
(7) Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists,
with respect to psychologists; and
(8) Texas State Board of Pharmacy, with respect to
pharmacists and pharmacies.
(b) A licensing authority other than a licensing authority
listed in Subsection (a) is encouraged to establish a profile
system consisting of the specific license holder information
prescribed by Subsection (c).
(c) A licensing authority that establishes a profile system
under this section shall determine the information to be included
in the system and the manner for collecting and reporting the
information. At a minimum, the authority shall include the
following information in the profile system:
(1) the name of the license holder and the address and
telephone number of the license holder's primary practice location;
(2) whether the license holder's patient, client,
user, customer, or consumer service areas, as applicable, are
accessible to disabled persons, as defined by federal law;
(3) the type of language translating services,
including translating services for a person with impairment of
hearing, that the license holder provides for patients, clients,
users, customers, or consumers, as applicable;
(4) if applicable, insurance information, including
whether the license holder participates in the state child health
plan under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or the Medicaid
program;
(5) the education and training received by the license
holder, as required by the licensing authority;
(6) any specialty certification held by the license
holder;
(7) the number of years the person has practiced as a
license holder; and
(8) if applicable, any hospital affiliation of the
license holder.
(d) The authority by rule shall prescribe the amount of the
fee to be collected by a state agency that establishes a profile
system for its license holders. The amount of the fee prescribed
under this subsection must be approved by the Legislative Budget
Board.
(e) The authority shall adopt additional rules as necessary
to assist in the funding and administration of the profile systems
established by state agencies, including rules prescribing policies
for vendor contracts relating to the collection and entry of
profile data.
(9) Between SECTIONS 6 and 7 of the bill (House Committee
Printing page 9, between lines 20 and 21), insert the following
sections, appropriately numbered, and renumber the subsequent
section accordingly:
SECTION __. (a) Not later than April 1, 2002, the Texas
Online Authority shall adopt a schedule for implementing Section
2054.252, Government Code, as added by this Act. The schedule
shall permit the initial group of licensing authorities to perform
the functions described by Section 2054.252(a), Government Code, as
added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2002.
(b) Not later than January 1, 2003, the Texas Online
Authority shall report to the presiding officer of each house of
the legislature and to the presiding officers of the committees of
each house of the legislature that have primary oversight
jurisdiction over the authority or over a licensing authority
subject to Subchapter I, Chapter 2054, Government Code, as added by
this Act, on the authority's progress in implementing Section
2054.252, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION __. (a) Each state agency required under this Act to
establish a profile system shall adopt rules under this Act not
later than January 1, 2002. The agency shall make the initial
profiles required under this Act available to the public not later
than January 1, 2005.
(b) Each state agency required under this Act to establish a
profile system shall collect the fee prescribed by the Texas Online
Authority under Section 2054.2606(d), Government Code, as added by
this Act, with the approval of the Legislative Budget Board. The
authority shall prescribe the amount of the fee not later than
January 1, 2002. A state agency required to collect the fee shall
begin collecting the fee as part of the agency's license renewal
system on that date.