SRC-TBR S.B. 1797 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1797 77R12216 JMM-FBy: Carona Business & Commerce 4/23/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE During the 76th Legislature, a bill was passed that has lead to the interpretation that faculty members at a Texas institution of higher education have to have an engineering license to conduct research or instructional work. As proposed, S.B. 1797 exempts faculty members at Texas institutions of higher education from engineering licensure requirements in the scope of their employment by the institution for research or instructional work. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 20(a), The Texas Engineering Practice Act (Article 3271a, V.T.C.S.), to add certain persons employed by institutions of higher education to the list of persons who are exempt from the licensure provisions of this Act, provided that such specified persons are not directly or indirectly represented or held out to the public to be legally qualified to engage in the practice of engineering. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.