HBA-MPM H.B. 1851 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1851 By: Jones, Jesse Public Health 3/4/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Chemical dependency counselors are prohibited from practicing in Texas, unless the person is licensed by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) as a chemical dependency counselor. Applicants for a license must pass an examination prepared and administered by TCADA. Current law prohibits an applicant who fails the examination from taking the examination more than three times. House Bill 1851 removes this provision, effectively allowing a person to take the examination more than three times. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1851 amends the Occupations Code by removing the provision prohibiting an applicant for a license as a chemical dependency counselor from taking the license examination more than three times. The bill provides that the change in law applies to a person whose first attempt to pass an examination occurs before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.