By Yarbrough H.B. No. 1505
77R898 AEI-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the regulation of plumbing; providing a penalty.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 2, The Plumbing License Law (Article
1-5 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by amending
1-6 Subsections (1),(2),(3),(4), and (5) and adding Subsections (10),
1-7 (11), (12), and (13) to read as follows:
1-8 (1) "Plumbing" means:
1-9 (A) All piping, fixtures, appurtenances and
1-10 appliances for supply or recirculation of water, gas, liquids, and
1-11 drainage or elimination of sewage, including disposal systems or
1-12 any combination thereof, for all personal or domestic purposes in
1-13 and about buildings where a person or persons live, work or
1-14 assemble; all piping, fixtures, appurtenances and appliances
1-15 outside a building connecting the building with the source of
1-16 water, gas, medical gases and vacuum, or other liquid supply, or
1-17 combinations thereof, on the premises, or the main in the street,
1-18 alley or at the curb; all piping, fixtures, appurtenances,
1-19 appliances, drain or waste pipes carrying waste water or sewage
1-20 from or within a building to the sewer service lateral at the curb
1-21 or in the street or alley or other disposal or septic terminal
1-22 holding private or domestic sewage; or
1-23 (B) the installation, repair, service, and
1-24 maintenance of all piping, fixtures, appurtenances and appliances
2-1 in and about buildings where a person or persons live, work or
2-2 assemble, for a supply of gas, medical gases and vacuum, water,
2-3 liquids, or any combination thereof, or disposal of waste water or
2-4 sewage.
2-5 (2) "Master Plumber" means a person licensed under
2-6 this Act who is skilled in the planning, superintending, and the
2-7 practical installation, repair, and service of plumbing, who
2-8 secures permits for plumbing work, who [and] is knowledgeable about
2-9 [familiar with] the codes, ordinances, or rules and regulations
2-10 governing those matters, who alone, or through a person or persons
2-11 under his supervision, performs plumbing work, and who has
2-12 successfully fulfilled the examinations and requirements of the
2-13 Board.
2-14 (3) "Journeyman Plumber" means a [any] person licensed
2-15 under this Act who has met the qualifications for registration as a
2-16 plumber's apprentice or for licensure as a journeyman
2-17 plumber-restricted licensee, who has completed at least 8,000 hours
2-18 working under the supervision of [other than] a master plumber, who
2-19 supervises, engages in, or works at the actual installation,
2-20 alteration, repair, service, and renovating of plumbing, and who
2-21 has successfully fulfilled the examinations and requirements of the
2-22 Board.
2-23 (4) "Plumber's Apprentice" means any person other than
2-24 a master plumber, [or] journeyman plumber, or journeyman
2-25 plumber-restricted licensee who, as his principal occupation, is
2-26 engaged in learning and assisting in the installation of plumbing,
2-27 is registered by the Board, and works under the direct supervision
3-1 of a licensed master plumber.
3-2 (5) "Plumbing Inspector" means any person who is
3-3 employed by a political subdivision for the purpose of inspecting
3-4 plumbing work and installations in connection with health and
3-5 safety laws, [and] ordinances, and plumbing and gas codes, who has
3-6 no financial or advisory interests in any plumbing company, and who
3-7 has successfully fulfilled the examinations and requirements of the
3-8 Board.
3-9 (10) "Journeyman Plumber-Restricted Licensee" means a
3-10 person who has completed at least 4,000 hours working under the
3-11 supervision of a master plumber as a registered plumber's
3-12 apprentice, who has passed the required examination and fulfilled
3-13 the other requirements of the Board, and who constructs and
3-14 installs plumbing for one-family or two-family dwellings.
3-15 (11) "Residential Utilities Installer" means a person
3-16 who has completed at least 2,000 hours working under the
3-17 supervision of a master plumber as a registered plumber's
3-18 apprentice, who has fulfilled the requirements of and is registered
3-19 with the Board, and who constructs and installs yard water service
3-20 piping for one-family or two-family dwellings and building sewers.
3-21 (12) "Drain Cleaner" means a person who has completed
3-22 at least 4,000 hours working under the supervision of a master
3-23 plumber as a registered drain cleaner-restricted registrant, who
3-24 has fulfilled the requirements of and is registered with the Board,
3-25 and who installs cleanouts and removes and resets p-traps to
3-26 eliminate obstructions in building drains and sewers.
3-27 (13) "Drain Cleaner-Restricted Registrant" means a
4-1 person who has worked as a registered plumber's apprentice under
4-2 the supervision of a master plumber, who has fulfilled the
4-3 requirements of and is registered with the Board, and who clears
4-4 obstructions in sewer and drain lines through any code-approved
4-5 existing opening.
4-6 SECTION 2. Section 3(a), The Plumbing License Law (Article
4-7 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
4-8 follows:
4-9 (a) The following acts, work and conduct shall be expressly
4-10 permitted without license:
4-11 (1) Plumbing work done by a property owner in a
4-12 building owned or occupied by him as his homestead;
4-13 (2) Plumbing work done outside the municipal limits of
4-14 any organized city, town or village in this state, or within any
4-15 such city, town or village of less than five thousand (5,000)
4-16 inhabitants, unless required by ordinance in such city, town or
4-17 village of less than five thousand (5,000) inhabitants;
4-18 (3) Plumbing work done by anyone who is regularly
4-19 employed as or acting as a maintenance man or maintenance engineer,
4-20 incidental to and in connection with the business in which he is
4-21 employed or engaged, and who does not engage in the occupation of a
4-22 plumber for the general public; construction, installation and
4-23 maintenance work done upon the premises or equipment of a railroad
4-24 by an employee thereof who does not engage in the occupation of a
4-25 plumber for the general public; [and] plumbing work done by persons
4-26 engaged by any public service company in the laying, maintenance
4-27 and operation of its service mains or lines to the point of
5-1 measurement and the installation, alteration, adjustment, repair,
5-2 removal and renovation of all types of appurtenances, equipment and
5-3 appliances, including doing all that is necessary to render the
5-4 appliances useable or serviceable; appliance installation and
5-5 service work done by anyone who is an appliance dealer or is
5-6 employed by an appliance dealer, and acting as an appliance
5-7 installation man or appliance service man in connecting appliances
5-8 to existing openings with a code-approved appliance connector
5-9 [piping installations]; and water treatment installations,
5-10 exchanges, services, or repairs. Provided, however, that all work
5-11 and service herein named or referred to shall be subject to
5-12 inspection and approval in accordance with the terms of all
5-13 applicable state laws and local valid city or municipal ordinances;
5-14 (4) Plumbing work done by an irrigator licensed under
5-15 Chapter 34, Water Code, or an installer licensed under Chapter 33,
5-16 Water Code. A person holding a valid license from the Texas State
5-17 Board of Plumbing Examiners shall not be required to be licensed by
5-18 any other board or agency when installing or working on a lawn
5-19 irrigation system;
5-20 (5) LPG system installation [Plumbing] work done by an
5-21 LP Gas installer when working and licensed under Chapter 113,
5-22 Natural Resources Code, as amended;
5-23 (6) Plumbing work, limited to the provision of a
5-24 residential potable water supply or residential sanitary sewer
5-25 connections, for a project in a geographic area that is located in
5-26 a county any part of which is within 50 miles of an international
5-27 border that is done by an organization that:
6-1 (A) is certified by the Texas Natural Resource
6-2 Conservation Commission to provide "self-help" project assistance;
6-3 and
6-4 (B) provides the board with the following
6-5 information before the 30th day before the date the project begins:
6-6 (i) a specific project location;
6-7 (ii) the intended duration of the project;
6-8 and
6-9 (iii) other information the board may
6-10 require, including a post-construction report signed by a plumbing
6-11 inspector that the plumbing facilities are safe.
6-12 SECTION 3. Section 3A(a), The Plumbing License Law (Article
6-13 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
6-14 follows:
6-15 (a) The Commissioner of Health or his designee shall certify
6-16 persons as being qualified for the installation, exchange,
6-17 servicing, and repair of residential water treatment facilities [as
6-18 defined by Subsection (g) of Section 2 of this Act]. The Texas
6-19 Board of Health shall set standards for certification to ensure the
6-20 public health and to protect the public from unqualified persons
6-21 engaging in activities relating to water treatment. Nothing in
6-22 this section shall be construed to require that persons licensed
6-23 pursuant to this Act are subject to certification under this
6-24 section.
6-25 SECTION 4. Section 4(a), The Plumbing License Law (Article
6-26 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
6-27 follows:
7-1 (a) The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners shall
7-2 consist of nine members, each of whom shall be a citizen of the
7-3 United States and a resident of this state. Members of the Board
7-4 and their successors shall be appointed by the Governor and
7-5 confirmed by the Senate, and shall hold office for terms of six
7-6 years, or until their successors are appointed and have qualified.
7-7 Appointments to the Board shall be made without regard to the race,
7-8 creed, sex, religion, or national origin of the appointees. One
7-9 member of the Board shall have had at least ten years practical
7-10 experience and be licensed as a master plumber, one member shall
7-11 have had at least five years practical experience and be licensed
7-12 as a journeyman plumber, one member shall be a plumbing contractor
7-13 with five years experience, one member shall be a licensed
7-14 professional [sanitary] engineer, two members shall be building
7-15 contractors with five years contracting experience (one of whom
7-16 shall be principally engaged in home building and one of whom shall
7-17 be principally engaged in commercial building), and one member
7-18 shall have had at least five years practical experience and be
7-19 licensed as a plumbing inspector. Two members must be
7-20 representatives of the general public. A person is not eligible
7-21 for appointment as a public member if the person or the person's
7-22 spouse:
7-23 (1) is licensed by an occupational regulatory agency
7-24 in the building construction industry;
7-25 (2) is employed by or participates in the management
7-26 of an agency or business entity related to the building
7-27 construction industry; or
8-1 (3) has, other than as a consumer, a financial
8-2 interest in a business entity related to the building construction
8-3 industry.
8-4 SECTION 5. Section 5, The Plumbing License Law (Article
8-5 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by amending
8-6 Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
8-7 follows:
8-8 (a) The Board shall administer the provisions of this Act.
8-9 The Board shall formally elect a chairman and a secretary from its
8-10 members and shall [may] adopt such rules as it deems necessary for
8-11 the orderly conduct and enforcement of its affairs. The Board is
8-12 hereby authorized and empowered to employ, promote and discharge
8-13 such assistants and employees as it may deem necessary to properly
8-14 carry out the intent and purpose of this Act, and to fix and pay
8-15 their compensation and salaries and to provide for their duties and
8-16 the terms of their employment. A majority of the Board shall
8-17 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board
8-18 shall have a seal which shall be judicially noticed. The Board
8-19 shall keep records of all proceedings and actions by and before the
8-20 Board. The Board is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to
8-21 prescribe, amend and enforce all rules and regulations necessary to
8-22 carry out this Act. The Board shall appoint an employee or
8-23 employees thereof, with the power of removal, as a plumbing
8-24 examiner or examiners, whose duties shall be to examine, as to
8-25 their fitness and qualifications, all persons applying to the Board
8-26 for licenses to engage in the business, trade or calling of a
8-27 master plumber, [or a] journeyman plumber, journeyman
9-1 plumber-restricted licensee, or [to serve as a] plumbing inspector,
9-2 and to promptly certify the result thereof to said State Board of
9-3 Plumbing Examiners. The Board shall register a person who complies
9-4 with this Act as a drain cleaner, drain cleaner-restricted
9-5 registrant, residential utilities installer, or plumber's
9-6 apprentice.
9-7 (d) The Board shall [may] recognize, approve [prepare], and
9-8 administer [or implement] continuing education programs for
9-9 licensees and endorsees. [Participation in the programs is
9-10 voluntary.]
9-11 (f) The Board may appoint advisory committees as it
9-12 considers necessary. An advisory committee shall serve without
9-13 compensation or reimbursement and is subject to Section 2110.008,
9-14 Government Code.
9-15 SECTION 6. Section 5B(b), The Plumbing License Law (Article
9-16 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
9-17 follows:
9-18 (b) In adopting a plumbing code [standards] for the proper
9-19 design, installation, and maintenance of a plumbing system, a
9-20 municipality or an owner of a public water system may adopt a code
9-21 [standards] that does [do] not substantially vary with rules or
9-22 laws of this state.
9-23 SECTION 7. Section 8, The Plumbing License Law (Article
9-24 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by amending
9-25 the section heading and Subsection (a) to read as follows:
9-26 Sec. 8. ISSUANCE OF LICENSES; ENDORSEMENTS. (a) The Board
9-27 shall issue licenses and endorsements to such persons as have by a
10-1 uniform, reasonable examination shown themselves fit, competent and
10-2 qualified to engage in the business, trade or calling of a master
10-3 plumber, [or] journeyman plumber, [or] plumbing inspector,
10-4 journeyman plumber-restricted licensee, medical gas piping
10-5 installation endorsee, or water supply protection specialist[, as
10-6 the case may be].
10-7 SECTION 8. Section 8A(e), The Plumbing License Law (Article
10-8 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
10-9 follows:
10-10 (e) Each written contract for plumbing services in this
10-11 state [of a licensed plumber] shall contain the name, mailing
10-12 address, and telephone number of the Board.
10-13 SECTION 9. Section 8B, The Plumbing License Law (Article
10-14 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added by Section 1,
10-15 Chapter 857, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987,
10-16 is amended to read as follows:
10-17 Sec. 8B. ENFORCEMENT BY INSPECTOR. In addition to
10-18 enforcement by the Board, each plumbing inspector shall [may]
10-19 enforce this Act.
10-20 SECTION 10. Sections 8C(a) and (c), The Plumbing License Law
10-21 (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), are amended to
10-22 read as follows:
10-23 (a) A medical gas piping installation endorsement entitles a
10-24 holder of a master plumber license or journeyman plumber license to
10-25 install pipe used solely to transport gases used for medical
10-26 purposes and a vacuum used for medical purposes. A plumbing
10-27 inspector who holds a medical gas piping installation endorsement
11-1 and meets the requirements of the Board may inspect medical gas
11-2 piping installations.
11-3 (c) An endorsement under this section is valid for three
11-4 years and may be renewed as provided by Board rule [on or before
11-5 February 1, or as provided by Section 12A of this Act, in the same
11-6 manner as a license renewal under Section 12 of this Act].
11-7 SECTION 11. Sections 9(a), (c), (d), and (e), The Plumbing
11-8 License Law (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), are
11-9 amended to read as follows:
11-10 (a) The Board shall revoke or suspend a license,
11-11 endorsement, or registration, probate a license, endorsement, or
11-12 registration suspension, or reprimand a licensee, endorsee, or
11-13 registrant for any violations of this Act or rules of the Board. A
11-14 violation of this Act shall include but not be limited to:
11-15 obtaining a license, endorsement, or registration through error or
11-16 fraud; having wilfully, negligently or arbitrarily violated
11-17 municipal rules or ordinances regulating sanitation, drainage and
11-18 plumbing; [knowingly] making a [substantial] misrepresentation of
11-19 services to be provided or which have been provided; or making any
11-20 false promise with intent to influence, persuade, or induce an
11-21 individual to contract for services. Any person whose license,
11-22 endorsement, or registration has been revoked may, after the
11-23 expiration of one year from the date of such revocation, but not
11-24 before, apply for a new license, endorsement, or registration.
11-25 (c) If the Board proposes to refuse a person's application
11-26 for a license, endorsement, or registration, [licensure] or to
11-27 suspend or revoke a person's license, endorsement, or registration,
12-1 the person is entitled to a hearing before the Board. Grounds for
12-2 suspension or revocation of a license, endorsement, or registration
12-3 due to suspected incompetence or wilful violation by a licensee may
12-4 be determined through retesting procedures.
12-5 (d) Proceedings for the refusal, suspension, or revocation
12-6 of a license, endorsement, or registration are governed by Chapter
12-7 2001, Government Code [the Administrative Procedure and Texas
12-8 Register Act, as amended (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil
12-9 Statutes)].
12-10 (e) A person commits an offense if the person [knowingly]
12-11 violates this Act or a rule adopted under this Act, engages in
12-12 activities for which a license, endorsement, or registration is
12-13 required without a license, endorsement, or registration issued
12-14 under this Act, or employs an unlicensed, unendorsed, or
12-15 unregistered person to engage in activities for which a license,
12-16 endorsement, or registration is required by this Act. An offense
12-17 under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
12-18 SECTION 12. Section 11, The Plumbing License Law (Article
12-19 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
12-20 follows:
12-21 Sec. 11. APPRENTICE. (a) A person who desires to learn the
12-22 trade of plumbing shall register as a plumber's apprentice before
12-23 beginning to assist a licensee at the trade of plumbing.
12-24 (b) Any person who has worked as a plumber's apprentice at
12-25 the [business,] trade [or calling] of plumbing for such a length of
12-26 time as the law or the Board may prescribe in its rules and
12-27 regulations, and who desires to take an examination to entitle him
13-1 to a license as a journeyman plumber or journeyman
13-2 plumber-restricted licensee, may file his application and take the
13-3 examination provided by the Board.
13-4 SECTION 13. Section 12, The Plumbing License Law (Article
13-5 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
13-6 follows:
13-7 Sec. 12. NONTRANSFERABLE [LICENSES]; RENEWALS OF LICENSES,
13-8 ENDORSEMENTS, AND REGISTRATIONS. (a) Licenses, endorsements, and
13-9 registrations issued by the Board shall be valid throughout the
13-10 state, but shall not be assignable or transferable. [The Board
13-11 shall forward to the local Board of Health, if there be one, of
13-12 each town, or to the other authority having control of the
13-13 enforcement of regulations relative to plumbing in each town, the
13-14 names and addresses of all persons in such town to whom such
13-15 licenses have been granted.] Licenses and registrations shall be
13-16 issued for one year and may be renewed annually [on or before
13-17 February 1st or as provided by Section 12A of this Act upon payment
13-18 of the required fee]. The Board by rule may adopt a system under
13-19 which licenses, endorsements, and registrations expire on various
13-20 dates during the year.
13-21 (b) A person who has complied with the continuing education
13-22 requirement of Section 12B of this Act may renew an unexpired
13-23 license or endorsement by paying the required renewal fee to the
13-24 Board before the expiration date of the license or endorsement. A
13-25 person may renew an unexpired registration by paying the required
13-26 renewal fee to the Board before the expiration date of the
13-27 registration.
14-1 (c) A person who has complied with the continuing education
14-2 requirement of Section 12B of this Act and whose license or
14-3 endorsement has been expired for 90 days or less may renew the
14-4 license or endorsement by paying to the Board the required renewal
14-5 fee and a fee that is one-half of the examination fee for the
14-6 license or endorsement. A person whose registration has been
14-7 expired for 90 days or less may renew the registration by paying to
14-8 the Board the required renewal fee and a fee that is one-half the
14-9 registration fee.
14-10 (d) A person who has complied with the continuing education
14-11 requirement of Section 12B of this Act and whose license or
14-12 endorsement has been expired for longer than 90 days but less than
14-13 two years may renew the license or endorsement by paying to the
14-14 Board all unpaid renewal fees and a fee that is equal to the
14-15 examination fee for the license or endorsement. A person whose
14-16 registration has been expired for longer than 90 days but less than
14-17 two years may renew the registration by paying to the Board all
14-18 unpaid renewal fees and a fee that is equal to the registration
14-19 fee.
14-20 (e) If a person's license, endorsement, or registration has
14-21 been expired for two years or longer, the person may not renew the
14-22 license, endorsement, or registration. The person may obtain a new
14-23 license, endorsement, or registration by submitting to
14-24 reexamination for a license or endorsement and complying with the
14-25 requirements and procedures for obtaining an original license,
14-26 endorsement, or registration.
14-27 (f) At least 30 days before the expiration of a person's
15-1 license, endorsement, or registration, the Board shall send written
15-2 notice of the impending [license] expiration to the person at the
15-3 person's [licensee's] last known address according to the records
15-4 of the Board. The person shall notify the Board not later than the
15-5 30th day after the date of receipt of the written notice of any
15-6 change of name or address.
15-7 SECTION 14. Sections 12B(a) and (d), The Plumbing License Law
15-8 (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), are amended to
15-9 read as follows:
15-10 (a) A person holding a license or endorsement under this Act
15-11 must complete at least six hours of continuing professional
15-12 education each [license] year the person is licensed or endorsed.
15-13 Three of the six hours required must be in the subjects of health
15-14 protection, energy conservation, and water conservation.
15-15 (d) A person holding a license or endorsement under this Act
15-16 [who lives in a county having no city with a population in excess
15-17 of 100,000] may fulfill the continuing professional education
15-18 requirement of this section through a correspondence course as
15-19 approved by the Board.
15-20 SECTION 15. Section 14(e), The Plumbing License Law (Article
15-21 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as
15-22 follows:
15-23 (e) A field representative or, within the jurisdiction of
15-24 that municipality, a municipal plumbing inspector or water district
15-25 plumbing inspector, shall [may] issue a citation to a person who
15-26 engages in conduct described by Subsection (e) of Section 9 of this
15-27 Act.
16-1 SECTION 16. Section 15, The Plumbing License Law (Article
16-2 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by amending
16-3 Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as
16-4 follows:
16-5 (a) Every city in this state of more than five thousand
16-6 (5,000) inhabitants shall, and any city or town of this state may,
16-7 by ordinance or by-law, prescribe rules and regulations for the
16-8 materials, construction, alteration and inspection of all pipes,
16-9 faucets, tanks, valves, water heaters, and other fixtures by and
16-10 through which a supply of water, gas or sewage is used or carried.
16-11 In a city or town subject to this subsection, all plumbing
16-12 inspections must be performed by a licensed plumbing inspector. A
16-13 pipe, faucet, tank, valve, water heater, or other fixture may[; and
16-14 provided that they shall] not be placed in any building [therein]
16-15 except in accordance with such rules and regulations. No [; and
16-16 shall further provide that no] plumbing shall be done except the
16-17 [in case of] repairing of leaks, without a permit being first
16-18 issued [therefor] upon such terms and conditions as such city or
16-19 town shall prescribe. No [; provided that no] such ordinance,
16-20 by-law, rule or regulation prescribed by any such city or town
16-21 shall be inconsistent with this Act, or any rule or regulation
16-22 adopted or prescribed by the [State] Board [of Plumbing Examiners].
16-23 (d) When a person is issued a master plumber's license, the
16-24 person must provide the Board with a certificate of insurance that
16-25 meets the requirements of Subsection (c) before the person works as
16-26 a master plumber.
16-27 (e) If the boundaries of a municipality and a municipal
17-1 utility district overlap, only the affected municipality may
17-2 perform a plumbing inspection and collect a permit fee. The
17-3 plumbing inspection must be performed by a licensed plumbing
17-4 inspector, and the standard used in the plumbing inspection may not
17-5 be less restrictive than the standard used by the municipal utility
17-6 district.
17-7 SECTION 17. Section 12A, The Plumbing License Law (Article
17-8 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is repealed.
17-9 SECTION 18. Section 4(a), The Plumbing License Law (Article
17-10 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by this Act,
17-11 applies only to members of the Texas State Board of Plumbing
17-12 Examiners appointed on or after the effective date of this Act. A
17-13 person who is serving on the Texas State Board of Plumbing
17-14 Examiners on the effective date of this Act is entitled to continue
17-15 to serve until expiration of that person's term unless otherwise
17-16 removed.
17-17 SECTION 19. Section 8A(e), The Plumbing License Law (Article
17-18 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by this Act,
17-19 applies only to a contract entered into on or after the effective
17-20 date of this Act. A contract entered into before the effective
17-21 date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
17-22 contract was entered into, and the former law is continued in
17-23 effect for that purpose.
17-24 SECTION 20. Sections 8C and 12, The Plumbing License Law
17-25 (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by
17-26 this Act, apply only to the renewal requirements for a license,
17-27 endorsement, or registration that is renewed on or after the
18-1 effective date of this Act. Renewal requirements for a license,
18-2 endorsement, or registration that is renewed before the effective
18-3 date of this Act are governed by the law in effect on the date the
18-4 license, endorsement, or registration is renewed, and the former
18-5 law is continued in effect for that purpose.
18-6 SECTION 21. Section 9, The Plumbing License Law (Article
18-7 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by this Act,
18-8 applies only to a disciplinary proceeding against a licensee,
18-9 endorsee, or registrant commenced on or after the effective date of
18-10 this Act. A disciplinary proceeding against a licensee, endorsee,
18-11 or registrant commenced before the effective date of this Act is
18-12 governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
18-13 of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
18-14 purpose. For purposes of this section, a disciplinary proceeding
18-15 is commenced if it is set for hearing.
18-16 SECTION 22. Section 15(a), The Plumbing License Law (Article
18-17 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by this Act,
18-18 applies only to a plumbing inspection performed on or after the
18-19 effective date of this Act. A plumbing inspection performed before
18-20 the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
18-21 the date of the plumbing inspection, and the former law is
18-22 continued in effect for that purpose.
18-23 SECTION 23. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners shall
18-24 adopt the rules required under the changes to The Plumbing License
18-25 Law (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) made by this
18-26 Act not later than January 1, 2002.
18-27 SECTION 24. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this
19-1 Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and applies only to a license,
19-2 endorsement, or registration issued or renewed under The Plumbing
19-3 License Law (Article 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as
19-4 amended by this Act, on or after that date. A license,
19-5 endorsement, or registration issued or renewed before the effective
19-6 date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the
19-7 license, endorsement, or registration is issued or renewed, and the
19-8 former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
19-9 (b) A person is not required to be registered as a drain
19-10 cleaner, drain cleaner-restricted registrant, residential utilities
19-11 installer, or plumber's apprentice or licensed as a journeyman
19-12 plumber-restricted licensee under The Plumbing License Law (Article
19-13 6243-101, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as amended by this Act,
19-14 until March 1, 2002.